The Littlest Bird
by songtrees
Summary: Adeline Bird is a young vegetarian vampire with amazing self-control and a great skill. She travels the world alone, thinking this is her only option. What happens when she meets the Cullens? Post BD. Lemons. Profanity. First fanfic. A/U. Please review
1. 1: My Enigma

**One: **My enigma

I reveled in the blood as it seeped from the edges of my mouth and dared to stain my chin. The heat completely soothed the burning in my throat, not leaving an ounce of unsatisfied thirst in its wake, but this would only be temporary. There was a certain kind of sweetness to the blood of white-tailed deer, especially the young ones – the young ones that I used to see once in a while in the past, dead on the side of a winding road. It used to break my heart. It doesn't anymore. My heart, like the rest of my body, is as – if not more – impenetrable as the hardest stone in nature.

Finishing off the last drops from the limp carcass in my arms, I looked at my setting. After having caught Bambi's scent, I lost track of where I was headed. Was I still in Canada? It was likely, considering I was surrounded by green… green as far as my enhanced eyes could see. The branches of each tree interlaced with others above me, forming a brilliant canopy that kept the sun from touching my flesh.

I never did come to understand why the sunlight made me sparkle like a fucking tennis bracelet, and I was glad I didn't have to see it. It made me feel fake, man-made. And that was far from what I really was. I had, in fact, lost all ties to man absolutely.

It was particularly quieter in this region of the woods; I must have been severely far from civilization. Every tiny sound was amplified. I could hear the bones shake against the sinews of small animals, rodents I believed. No fear, little ones, I am no danger to you because you are no temptation to me.

Pushing the now dry corpse off of my lap, I stood from my seated position on the forest floor. I looked down to review my appearance… Damn, I had made a mess of myself, but that never surprised me. Even after thirty-five months, I had managed to come out of a hunt all disheveled and disastrous.

It had been four days since I was in Montreal, and thus it had been four days since my last shower. I wiped the crusty blood from my chin with the sleeve of my gray sweatshirt. If I were to find the closest hotel so I could bathe and change into a fresh set of clothes, I'd have to somehow modify myself from looking like I… well, like I just snapped the neck of a baby deer and feasted on its warm bloody goodness in the middle of the woods. What's a girl to do?

The wind had shifted from the east and my nose caught the scent of a prospective aid in my endeavors. There was a stream nearby. I hooked the strap of my duffle bag around my shoulder and within a quarter of a second, I was sitting on a bolder at the stream's bank, staring into its rippling water, like melted glass. My reflection stared back at me. Regardless of how many times I've seen myself, I never grew accustomed to this new face. It was so different from what I used to know, after all. It was slimmer, closer to ivory than its predecessor, more angular, and much more charming than the face I had for so many years.

The Adeline that I saw in the stream was a stranger, but I knew I had eternity to get properly acquainted.

I cupped my hands into the water and splashed my face, rubbing certain spots I knew that were dirtier than others. I removed the rubber band from my straight jet-black hair and reapplied it, forming a much neater ponytail. After wiping my neck and collarbone down with the damp sleeve of my sweater, I opened up my bag and pulled out a clean outfit. I needed to find a place to do laundry.

As I changed from my cargo pants and sweater into a pair of warmer jeans and the black Led Zeppelin t-shirt that Natasha gave me long ago, the breeze altered directions again. I caught a brief scent in the transition, something I never encountered before: something that smelled like a combination of lilac and honeysuckles and newly baked French bread and a field of sunflowers. But I lost it once the gust changed its aim once more. I didn't bother to follow it because I didn't think much of it; it wasn't alluring enough to drive me to curiosity. It was just…there.

After having shoved my previous outfit into the bag where it belonged, I fumbled around in the many outer pockets of my duffle. Was I out of cigarettes? _No fucking way_, I thought, _I just bought a carton in Montreal_. After a twenty-third of a second, my hands grasped thin cardboard. _Thank God_.

I sat by the stream for a moment, puffing away at the cigarette and staring at the Surgeon General's warning on the container. I giggled to myself, disregarding the caution. I was dead already, how much more damage could it do?

Cigarettes tasted differently to me after I became… what I became. The smoke was more potent; it was richer, thicker, and smoother. And it helped with the constant aching in my throat. It was a good distraction.

Halfway through my first cigarette of the day, I heard a couple of twigs snap in the distance, perhaps… six hundred and forty three yards away. I instantly searched the air for a familiar scent. It wasn't human and it wasn't forest animal, I knew that much. And then I listened carefully, forcing everything to fade away. I ignored the flow of the stream, the pitter-patter of squirrels, the ruffling of bird feathers… and I couldn't find what I was expecting. Whatever had broken the twigs was closing in now, quieter, as if it knew that I was aware. Six hundred yards. Five hundred and fifty. Five twenty-five. Five hundred. It was moving faster than a human, but slower than how I usually moved.

Then I became instantly frightened as it reached the three hundred yard mark because what I suspected was what I instantaneously confirmed… no heartbeat.

That couldn't be possible. I became still, like I had been a part of the forest all along. I tried to merge myself entirely with the large rock below me, but it wouldn't work… so I braced myself for whatever it was that approached the clearing between two enormous oaks just seventy-six feet behind me. I couldn't see it, but I knew it was coming closer. I prayed that with the impending proximity, I would begin to hear a pulse. The mixed essence of lilac and honeysuckles and sunflowers and baked goods got stronger, submerging my senses… but still no heartbeat.

And within a little shorter than half a minute, I felt its presence behind me. The smell was at its peak and… did I?... yes… I heard breathing. Breathing! Breathing, but no heartbeat.

Instead of removing my focus from the cigarette in my hands… instead of turning around to face the enigma that had my insides in a flurry… I just sat still. I did not turn around. In fact, I wanted to disappear. I was terrified, hoping to God that my utter lack of motion had rendered me totally invisible.

More seconds passed, but I knew it was still there, as stationary as I was. Had I frightened it in return?

The ash began to thicken on the tip of my cigarette and the smoke began to diminish. I was running low on matches, and I didn't want to have to waste another to relight it, so I brought it up to my mouth, as slowly as physically achievable, and inhaled deeply. I watched as the end burned a bright orange and the sound of the paper and poisonous tobacco burning with more fervor practically echoed around me through the trees.

Before I could exhale, I heard a deep and fluid male voice from the spot where my enigma stood, "Who… are… you?" It seemed almost rhetorical.

My mind had collapsed in on itself and so many various thoughts spun around in madness.

_Is he human?_

_Or is he like me?_

_How is that even possible? I thought I was alone in this._

_Does he know what I am?_

_Am I trespassing?_

_Should I turn around and introduce myself?_

_Should I run away?_

_Would he follow me?_

_Would he even catch up to me?_

_Is he scared too?_

And then one notion repeated itself over and over, almost robotically…

_Is he a threat_?

He spoke once more, calmly, as if I had verbalized my wonder, "I mean you no harm."

There was something so enthralling about his voice. It was eloquent and flowing, like the stream of cool water at my feet. Making a definite decision, I pressed the tip of my cigarette against the rock beside me, killing its fire. I stuck the filter in my pocket, not wanting to litter in the likelihood that this was his land.

At a snail's pace – or at least what felt like it – I began to rotate on my perch, trying not to startle him with my speed and agility in even the simplest of movements, incase he was human.

That consideration flew out the window the instant I saw him.

His skin was as white as mine, and he had the same elegant grace, even in his tall stature, that I had acquired after my transformation. His eyes were a warm golden hue, with a slight tint of amber… just like mine. He stood immobile, like an old statue in the square of one of the many European cities I had seen. His frame did not move even in the slightest manner, but his expression did change a bit when we locked eyes. It seemed to have relaxed and tensed up simultaneously.

Instinctively, I held my hands up in surrender, hoping to assure him that I was no danger, even though… I wasn't sure myself. There was no way for me to be sure without being aware of _his _intentions.

"I mean you no harm either," I urged in my solid Scottish intonation.

He furrowed his brows, "You're uncertain about that."

He was quite observant.

"Only because, stranger," I explained, "_I_ am uncertain of _you_."

The young man, which looked very close to boyhood actually, fell silent, as if trying to filter something with his mind… as if he was listening to something specific.

Following just a moment of this quiet, he spoke again, "I am not a threat," he insisted, taking half a step forward. "I do not mean to worry you." He imitated me and brought his hands up. "My name is Edward Cullen. I live just a quarter of a mile south of here."

He seemed genuine enough, so I placed my hands in my lap.

"I am Adeline Bird. I… don't live anywhere."

This seemingly amused him because the left corner of his mouth wrenched upward in a surprisingly engaging and crooked smile.

So my enigma had a name. Edward Cullen.

"This might sound like a bizarre question," I began, poking for clarity, "but… are you… human?"

"No," Edward answered without hiatus, putting his arms back to his sides, "I am like you."

I couldn't sort through my thoughts or emotions to respond to him. I was wrapped tightly in so much confusion, but so much gratitude and relief as well. I was not alone after all. I had traveled the world for nearly three years, living a life… well, living a _death_ of solitude. How was it conceivable that I had wandered around and covered all that land without stumbling upon another – I hate the word, but it's the only word – vampire until now?

He interrupted the storm that had swept up all the contents of my brain, "How old are you?"

My time as a human outweighed my time as a vampire, so I replied without carefully examining his choice of phrasing or my own, "Twenty-one."

He shook his head, as if realizing he should have worded his query better, "How long have been a vampire?"

Even though that word in particular had a heavy weight on its own, there was something easy about this, something natural about the irregular conversation. I felt like I had it a million times before.

"It will be three years next month."

His eyes widened with what I assumed to be shock, which I didn't understand, "Three years?" He reiterated. "Three years?" he asked again. "Three years and you feed on animals?"

Clearly he caught the scent of Bambi on my breath.

"Yes."

"Contentedly?" his voice cracked almost unnoticeably.

His bewilderment truly puzzled me. "Yes. Why is that hard to believe?"

"Because you're so young," Edward reacted, placing his hands on his waist and taking a few steps closer.

_He couldn't be more than… sixteen? Seventeen? A seventeen year old was calling _me_ young?_

I slid off the rock and inched closer to him, our eyes sustaining contact and my anxiety thawing into oblivion with every second that passed. I sensed no peril while being in the presence of Mr. Edward Cullen. When I stopped moving, he and I were just eleven feet apart. I didn't really know why at the time, but I felt the massive urge to rid the remaining distance between us and take his hand in mine – an appropriate and typical introductory gesture. I shook my head free of the thought; there was nothing appropriate or typical about the situation, so I stood still, eleven feet away from my new acquaintance.

I gave him a quick once-over. His bronze-tinted hair was tousled as if he had just rolled out of a long night's slumber, which I knew was unlikely because, if we were as similar as he said we were, he hadn't slept a minute since…

"How long have you been this way?" I asked him suddenly, not completing my private musing.

Devoid of any hesitation, he replied, "Since 1918."

"Holy shit!" I blurted. This made him wince slightly and I felt ashamed immediately. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me." _Great, Adeline, you just cursed in front of the oldest being on earth. _"I've got a very foul mouth," I explained unnecessarily (of course he knew by now.) "It's gotten me into trouble on many occasions. One time, when I was just a child, I took the Lord's name in vain right in front of my mother and she actually washed my mouth out with a bar of soap, a real bar of soap. My meals tasted funny for a week after that –"

"Ms. Bird?" he disrupted.

"Yes?"

Through a tiny grin, he plainly said, "You're rambling."

"I'm sorry. I do that when I'm nervous."

He stepped back.

Thirteen feet.

"Why are you nervous?" he tilted his head in curiosity. "Do you feel unsafe around me?"

"No, not at all, Edward!" I searched for the best explication, quietly enjoying the way his name sounded falling off of my tongue. "It's just… I didn't know our kind could really live that long." _Listen to me_… _'our' kind… as if I knew I even had a fucking kind._ "I thought, just like the bit about the sun, it was a myth."

"We tend to live very long," Edward told. "We could outlive the entire world – mankind as we know it."

_We_?

"That's," I pondered for a moment, "nice." My conversational skills are staggering, I know.

He smiled, which I could tell was something he did frequently. I liked the lines his face formed when they did this; they made it harder to guess at what age he was stuck forever, although I was convinced it was seventeen. "To say the least," he spoke. He averted his eyes to the ground for a quarter of a second. "Earlier, you said that you live nowhere. Is that true?"

"Yes." I was sinking deeper into comfort now. This discussion didn't seem as forced or as unnatural as it did in the beginning. I actually wanted him to know my story. I wanted Edward to know everything, because I wasn't sure if I'd ever get another chance to share like that again. "The word 'home' doesn't have the meaning to me that it once did. Since my change, home is where I just happen to do my laundry, or charge my iPod, or take a shower."

"You have been traveling for nearly three years, and you never settled down?" His tone made it sound more like a statement than an inquiry.

"I did for a short time. I bought a small cottage in South Wales after this-" I waved my hands down my body "-all happened. It's just been a while since my last stay."

"Why did you leave it in the first place?"

As I thought of the best answer, I stuck another cigarette between my lips and lit it up, inhaling before talking, "I wasn't ready for permanence yet."

He eyed the cigarette that I held between my knuckles as if it were some ridiculous abnormality, but then his gaze traveled back up to my face. He seemed to have been paying attention to something, a noise off in the expanse of the forest maybe, but I wasn't sure because I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary.

_This man_, I began to narrate inside my head, taking advantage of his silence, _this vampire is staring at me. Why on earth is he staring at me? Is there something in my teeth? Did I miss a spot of blood?_ Mechanically, I lifted my cigarette-free hand up to my chin and wiped it, hoping I didn't leave anything behind the second time.

He continued to watch me, saying nothing.

_Is he preparing to attack? I don't think so. It wouldn't make much sense. Why bother with the song and dance? Why bother with the personal questions? Why get to know your prey before you annihilate it? Maybe he was doing it for kicks or something, a kind of sick ritual before the first strike. _

Before I could step back and widen the space between Edward and me, he lifted his hand and redirected his eyes to connect intensely with mine, "No," he said, "I promise you that I have no intention of hurting you. You are safe."

_How does he do that?_ I wondered to myself. _Am I that obvious? I thought I had a pretty good poker face._

All he did was smile at me, and I admit, even though he was the farthest from my type, his smile was incredibly beautiful in all its asymmetry, dazzling even.

He continued to speak, apparently full of questions, "How did you wind up here in Forks?"

"Forks?"

"Forks, Washington," he specified.

"Washington? Ha-ha, oh shit," I said, "I thought I was still in Canada."

He didn't flinch at my verbal folly this time. "I've done that before. You caught the scent of an animal," he lifted his nose up in the air and sniffed, "a fawn it smells like, and then just let your instincts take over. I can't tell you how often I unknowingly cross borders during a hunt. Is that where you're from, by the way? Canada?"

I shook my head, "No. It's just where I ended up. I'm from California."

"Your accent says otherwise."

"Born and raised in Glasgow," I coolly made clear, "but we moved to Long Beach when I was sixteen."

"Tell me something," he requested after absorbing my reply, "out of all the places you've seen, which one is your favorite?"

I became flattered by Edward's interest in me, so I was eager to satiate his need for information.

"That would have to be Paris." I answered, recounting the short but fulfilled time I spent in the wonderful French city. "All of the art and the delectable aromas in the air were… treasures to my senses."

"I have to agree with you on that one," he disclosed, now leaning his weight against a tree. "Paris is a grand place to be, but wasn't it difficult to really experience the city, as well as everywhere else you've been, given your limitations?"

"Limitations?" I've never regarded myself to be limited. I actually thought of myself as limit_less_.

The corner of his mouth perked up once more, "The sun on your skin. How did you walk around without exposing what you are?"

_Oh. _"Long sleeves, long pants, and lots and lots of make-up."

He set free a brief snicker, "I'll have to remember that for the rare sunny days we have here." Edward paused for a whole second and then proceeded. "How can you – I mean, why do you smoke?"

It was then I realized that this was mostly a one-way interrogation, and that was not at all what I wanted. I wished to know my new associate as well as he was coming to know me. "You've got a lot of questions," I said after taking in and releasing the smoke from my beloved cigarette, "May I ask you some?"

"But of course," he insisted, folding his arms in front of his chest, "fire away."

"Do you drink human blood?"

_Why the _fuck_ did I ask him that? It's none of my business. Oh, I bet I angered him. _

He let out half a chuckle, "No. My family and I hunt animals, same as you."

_His family?_

"Your family?" I practically shouted.

I couldn't grasp it. His words just refused to register. My mind was absolutely reeling. Family? I was lost, utterly and wholly lost.

Flashes of tiny vampire children running through sprinklers, his vampire wife stirring a cold pitcher of iced blood, and an old, wrinkled vampire Grandpa sitting on a porch, packing his wooden pipe with tobacco raided my head. I pictured photos on a fireplace mantle of baby's first bite and Mommy and Daddy's vampire wedding – her, whoever she was, in a red gown and him in a black tux… red bowtie and cummerbund. I pictured their home more vividly then – shades drawn constantly, no – boards nailed to the windows, no – there were no windows at all. There were wrought-iron chandeliers hanging low in every room, lit black candlesticks resting in their impeccable places. The kitchen empty save for a refrigerator fully stocked with blood-based treats: carbonated blood, blood popsicles, blood pudding, whipped blood mousse, blood sorbet for guests, spiked blood for after the children 'go to bed', and–

Edward's laughter cut me off. He was clutching his stomach now and laughing, truly _laughing_. His face looked strained and I feared his grin would cut through the unbreakable skin of his cheeks. The sound of it rang against the many trees surrounding us. I felt the vibrations dance through my body and deep into my bones.

"What the _fuck_ is so funny?" I demanded, refusing to censor myself because I was insulted.

His cackles dimmed and then he looked at me with a sincere expression, "Nothing. I was just… thinking of something."

_Probably how absurd my face was when my mind strayed. _

He maintained his composure and asked me a question I truthfully didn't expect: "Would you like to meet them – my family?"

That word was so strange to hear coming from his lips… a vampire's lips.

I didn't know how to answer.

_YES! _I wanted to say to him. _Yes, I would love to meet your family and learn from them and observe them and confirm or deny my ludicrous or logical assumptions. Yes, take me to them! _

Something then occurred to me. "No, I don't think that would be a good idea."

Edward appeared hurt or… concerned? "Why? Do you still not trust me? I understand… this is all too much for you. I am just so eager for you to meet them and for them to meet you… It's rare we receive new vampires in town that don't end up imperiling our comfortable lifestyle. They will be thrilled to know you are a vegetarian like us" – _vegetarian? _I thought. _That's a nice way to put it _– "and I assure you, Ms. Bird, there's no reason to worry. We are a peaceful clan. You've no need feel in jeopardy."

_How sweet, he was concerned for _me. I found this endearing.

"No, Edward, it's not that at all. I do confess…" I bit down on my bottom lip and flicked the dead ash from my cigarette, "at first, I was petrified. But I now know. I now trust you, about as much as I could trust someone in a circumstance like this." I discharged a tense giggle. "I don't think you or anyone in your family would hurt me."

"Then what is the problem?"

"I don't worry for myself here. I worry for them."

His face persuaded me to elaborate.

"You see… _I_ don't want to threaten _them_. I can only imagine the uneasiness they would feel while having a complete stranger, a totally unknown vampire enter their home and their lives without warning, without warrant. Even though I am far from hostile, how could I expect them to be sure? It would feel like an invasion, and that's the last thing I want to do to potential allies. I do _not_ want to invade."

He beamed at me again and simply said, "Then I will bring them out here."

"How many are there in your family?"

"Besides myself, there are eight."

I couldn't believe it: eight. Up until a short while ago, I thought I treaded the world alone, ordained for an eternity of solitude. I thought I was to spend life on the outside, looking in on the bonds and the love that humans so often formed with each other. I thought it was just going to be Adeline and no one else. But suddenly, without even searching for them, possibilities fell into my lap, and even though I knew I wouldn't stay with Edward's family… I knew that I would walk away with a new sense of belonging – a sense of being a part of something for the first time since my fateful change.

Edward cocked his head to the side and gently pushed himself off the tree, standing upright and pulling me away from reflection, "So… would you like to meet them?" Even though the sun was not shining through the nearly solid canopy above, his face seemed to be glowing. And I was pleased to conclude that it was out of excitement.

"Yes."

Right after I agreed to meet those he loved, I grew nervous, not out of fear for my life, but out of fear that they wouldn't like me. I so desperately wanted them to be comfortable with me, albeit I was imposing on their territory, their home.

"Stay right here, I will be back in just a minute."

Edward was gone in a flash, and I was enthralled by the litheness of his movement, the speed and the momentum. _Do I look like that when I run_?

When I was by myself in the woods again, it felt strange. Before encountering Edward, I was generally content with my involuntary seclusion, but now that I knew I had an option, I just didn't want it anymore. I wanted to be with him because he was just like me. He was, I suppose, my brother of sorts.

I exploited the time I had alone, however, to prepare myself for the primary meeting. I smoothed back my hair and tightened the pony tail and I brushed off all the dust from the forest that had accumulated on my t-shirt. Then I looked down at the tattoos on my forearms (I was grateful to find out that they had stayed on my skin even after my conversion) and hoped for dear life that they wouldn't make me look like a hooligan to Edward's family. I killed the small fire on the tip of my cigarette and then tucked the filter into my pocket with the other one. And just as I was examining my sneakers for noticeable scuffs, I heard voices from afar.

I couldn't make out what they were saying, but I detected an apparent splendor in their tenors. The voices were so soft that I wanted them near me, silently pleading for them to come closer. As if they were weaved into a silken sheath, I longed to be enveloped in those very voices.

I heard foot steps now, closing in on me, and if it were any other day, any other condition, I would have stiffened in defense, but I did not. On the contrary, I relaxed. For the first time in three years, I was going to be in the company of my equals. I was going to be a puzzle piece that actually fit to something, rather than one that had by some means lost its crowd.

Edward came through the line of trees first, smiling big. He had rid himself of the tan cashmere sweater he was wearing before and I could plainly see the definition of his physique through his gray t-shirt.

And then I saw them.


	2. 2: First impressions

**Two:**__First Impressions

The vampires trailed behind him, driven by both trust and inquisitiveness. They wished to know just what had their beloved Edward swimming in such enthusiasm.

If it were feasible for me anymore, I would have fainted. Their exquisiteness weakened me. Their skin gleamed like milk glass and their amber eyes shined like gems. They were, to put it simply, _too_ beautiful.

First in tow was a tall distinguished fellow who seemed to be in his late twenties. He had a strong jaw line, as they all did, but a long and slender nose that complimented his face so marvelously and electric blonde hair that was slicked back to hug his scalp. Except for Edward, he was the only one smiling at me. The others remained expressionless in their approach, waiting to see if I was friend or foe.

Understandable.

Behind the first man, walked a somewhat shorter woman, but she was stunning all the same. Her curves were slight but pronounced in a chocolate brown dress of velvet. She had a nutmeg hue to her long straight hair, and she followed close to the man in front of her, affectionately holding his hand in hers. His love, I gathered.

I was rather shocked by the next fellow. His mass was undeniably intimidating. He looked like a linebacker for a very successful NFL team. If that were the case, he would have been the team's trusty secret weapon. Broad shoulders, broad chest, broad everything, really, but his face was young and gentle and wondering. In spite of his vast and menacing size, he appeared to be eager at the sight of me… like a child coming up to someone who could be a new playmate. He sent a large friendly grin my way when our eyes met, and I knew that I was going to like him.

Clasping the big one's hand and sauntering after him was quite possibly the most striking woman I have ever seen. Her long golden locks fell around her shoulders like satin curtains framing a window – a window that revealed glorious scenery. This scenery… was her face. It was youthful and supple, but angular. Her expression kept indifference, but there was something behind her eyes: fury. I could tell that she wasn't very fond of the prospect of meeting me.

And treading few steps behind the blonde was a young man that could have been her twin, and most likely was. He had coiled hair – the shade of fresh honey – and a mature demeanor. The structure of his face portrayed the notion that he had seen many things in his day and knew twice as much. He did not break eye contact with me once; he was focusing.

Alongside him danced a petite young lady with tiny, yet gorgeous, features. Her short cropped hair was black as the deepest part of night; even darker than mine, and it was poking out at all angles. The style seemed erratic, but very precise at the same time. She had a small face, but it did not take away from her magnificence. When she caught me surveying her as she passed in front of me, she gave me a bright smile, as if we had met before and this was a reunion rather than an introduction. I knew very well that this was our first meet because I was damn sure I would have remembered someone so visually pleasant.

After the pretty nymph came another beauty, moving very elegantly but unsurely. She didn't lock eyes with me, but instead, she kept her gaze on Edward, who was at my side now, waiting patiently for everyone to assemble. This woman, who I took to be Edward's wife, had long hair that descended in waves, the color of a majestic maple's bark, such a rich brown it was. I admired her navy blue blouse, accented with a modest pearl necklace.

Walking slowly and carefully beside her was a little girl; she looked to be four years old at the most, but at this point… what the hell did I know about age? Her profound eyes were the color of mocha and her hair fell in long bronze ringlets. I wanted to twirl one in my finger. When our stares met, she beamed hugely and displayed her tiny white teeth. How wonderful. As she stepped closer, not removing her hand from her mother's, I heard a fast-paced thumping, almost a fluttering. I didn't make anything of it- I didn't have the time… because within only moments, I had Edward's remarkable family standing before me.

Without letting him take it upon himself to introduce me, I reached my arm up and waved, struggling to piece a coherent sentence together. "Hello," I finally said, "my name is Adeline Bird."

Edward's arm went forward, gesturing to the half-circle of vampires in front of me. He motioned to the tall man with electric blonde hair and the impressive nose who was situated on the far left, "This is my father, Carlisle," Edward's hand moved slowly down the line to Carlisle's wife, "and my mother, Esme." He continued this and I came to learn all of their names. The big one with a tender face was Emmett, and the exceptional blonde at his side was Rosalie. The man who I supposed was her twin was named Jasper, and the sweet fairy on his arm was Alice. The woman with the child had moved to Edward's side, and he introduced the two as his wife and daughter, Bella and Renesmee.

I didn't know what to say at first, so I just gawked at them.

Carlisle started to speak, but I threw my hand up and stopped him before he could get anything out.

"Please," I commenced, "let me just say something. It is an immense pleasure to meet all of you. Actually, no… that's an understatement. I am just beside myself." I ran my hand along the top of my head apprehensively. "I don't think there are enough positive words in any spoken language to adequately convey just how… wonderful it is to be in your presence." The vampires looked at me warmly and listened. "I have gone three years totally convinced that I was alone in all of this. Aside from the one who turned me, I thought I was the only one of my kind – a freak, an anomaly, a monster among men… but now I see that I am _not_ alone, that there are others like me and there is no reason for me to feel excluded from the world any longer." Esme pressed her palm against her chest. Carlisle smiled at me, and the others did the same, except for Rosalie. She scowled. I continued regardless. "Even if our association does not extend passed this very moment, I want to thank you. Thank you so much for showing me that I've been wrong all of these years. Thank you for shining light on me when I've been trapped in this darkness. Thank you for opening my eyes."

I'm not one for dramatic monologues, but I had to get that out, and I was proud that I did because the vampires, excluding Rosalie, looked as if they reacted to it very well.

"The pleasure is ours, Ms. Bird," Carlisle insisted.

"Please, call me Adeline."

He carried on, accepting my plea, "Adeline, I am sorry that you had to go on detached from anything in your life for so long. And I – _we _are all glad to know we've changed it for the better, even in this simple act. We are happy to meet you."

Rosalie snarled and the sound of it alarmed me. "Speak for yourself, Carlisle," she said.

Esme leaned forward and shot a glare at the blonde, reprimanding her, "Rose," she uttered authoritatively, "don't be rude to our new friend."

"Friend? _Friend_?" Rosalie was clearly aggravated now, so I took a cautionary step backward. "Am I the only one who sees the threat here? How can we be sure she is as harmless as you all think she is? She is a stranger, an outsider… a young vampire." She matched my step backward with one step forward, but kept talking to the others. "Do you recall how volatile young vampires are? Or has Bella's easy period of adjustment desensitized you?"

Each of them seemed to be growing impatient with her rambling, but Rosalie persisted, "Excuse me for being a little skeptical. I know she is the first 'vegetarian' vampire we've come across in some time, but I am not at all keen on the idea of just opening our arms to her."

The reality of her words pained me something fierce, but as I was just about to turn around, grab my bag, and run for the hills, I felt a foreign pressure on my arm. I turned to my right and Edward had reached his hand forward and placed it just above my elbow, attempting to persuade me to stay. His eyes were sincere and pleading and I couldn't deny them. So I changed my mind and held my ground as Rosalie kept at it.

"Am I the only one thinking of Renesmee's welfare here?" She leaned over and pulled the little girl into a protective embrace. "We should have left her home. How could we expose her to this… three year old?" The last few words were soaked in venom, and now – even though I appreciated her fear for the little one's safety – her words were thoroughly starting to irritate me.

After a short delay, a light flickered in my head as I forced two facts together: the fluttering noise coming from Renesmee's general direction and Rosalie's defensive stance.

"Renesmee?" I croaked out. "Renesmee is human?"

I inhaled now, checking the air for a sign. She smelled sweet, but not like any human I've ever known. The scent didn't intrigue me the way a human's did, and I found this significantly perplexing.

Emmett spoke now, "Half-human, half-vampire technically."

Baffled, I let my jaw hang close to the ground. What had I gotten myself into? Everything I thought I had a grip on in this lifetime had just flown away and exploded into bigger and more complex affairs.

Just as I began to ponder how much this paranormal world was too much for me, Rosalie hissed at her husband, "Don't engage her, Emmett!"

"Sheesh, Rose, I just answered a question," he retorted, "relax!"

"Yes, Rose, please do relax," Carlisle mentioned. "There is no danger here, not even for Nessie. Do you think Edward would have agreed to bring her if he wasn't absolutely certain?"

Calmer now, but still aggressive, she posed a rather logical thought, "Is there really a way to be 'absolutely certain' anymore?"

Her doubt and her suspicion of me were reasonable, but I still wanted to do everything in my capacity to make her comfortable. I wasn't going to settle for eight out of nine votes.

"Rosalie?" I said in a small voice.

She roared, "What?"

I felt another monologue coming on.

"I understand why you're worried," I told, "and I don't blame you. I also don't expect you to let up, but I want to say anyway that Renesmee's scent, as lovely as she is, holds no appeal to me. And even if it did, I've developed enough discipline in my life as a vampire–" that word was becoming easier to say as the seconds went by "–to fight such temptation. I guess that's hard to believe because evidently vampires as young as me don't learn to restrain the thirst so soon, but I am around humans constantly. We could even take this conversation to the middle of a crowded mall or a grocery store, and I assure you that my demeanor will not change. I will not hurt Renesmee. You have my most honest vow."

"Rose," Edward interjected, "she's telling the truth." I was touched to know that he had faith in me. "She has reined her urges in very well. And who's to say she doesn't have the same outstanding self control as Bella? Maybe it's not as uncommon as we once believed."

Carlisle moved forward, not out of belligerence, but out of zeal. His eyes burned with enthrallment, "And that's incredibly fascinating, by the way. You must tell me, if not all of us, the story of how you've become so cultivated so quickly."

I felt the muscles in my face contract as my mouth assumed the shape of a giant smile. "I would like that."

Rosalie snatched Renesmee's hand in hers and declared, "Well, I'm not staying for it. Come on, Nessie, let's go back to the house."

The little girl pulled away and ran to her mother, wrapping her arms around her upper thighs, "No," she opposed, "I want to stay here with Adeline."

If I had a working heart, it would have been dancing.

Rosalie rested her hands on her waist and fought for composure, "I don't think that would be best, sweetheart. Let's go."

"No," she argued and then turned her head up to Bella, beseeching her, "Mommy, can I please stay?"

Bella then looked to Edward and spoke for the first time, "That all depends, my angel, on what your father hears in Adeline's head."

Edward nodded to Renesmee and said, "You can stay." He then brought his attention to his wife and explained, "Adeline is true, Bella. No deception, no hostility."

Distracted, I concurred, nodding stupidly and proudly, "That's right."

My brain was functioning a lot slower that day than it had in three fucking years.

"Wait, what?!" I was shouting now, staring wildly at Edward. "What did she say? 'What you hear in my head'? What does that mean?"

My hysterics did not affect my new friends. A couple of them just shook their heads gently from side to side. I shut my eyes tightly, hoping it would help me to organize the calamity within me, and if I'm not mistaken, I think I heard a giggle come from Alice's lips.

I barely heard any of the discussion, but I believe it went something like this:

"You didn't tell her?" Carlisle finally asked.

"No, I didn't," Edward replied, "I thought it would be too much for her."

Esme spoke now. "That's rational, son, but it still would have been the right thing to do. Common courtesy, my dear, common courtesy."

Rosalie had apparently decided to stay a bit longer, because I heard her say, "This should be interesting."

This is where something inside me broke, "Would someone please tell me what on God's good green earth is going on?" I opened my eyes now to see eight vampires and one hybrid child staring at me intently.

Carlisle took charge and talked with such earnestness, I almost forgot that I had no fucking idea which way was up. "Adeline, sometimes… when a human changes into a vampire, he or she gains a special and unusual skill in the process."

I didn't have trouble with that part, but before I could elaborate to them, I turned to Edward and asked, "So, you can read minds?"

He nodded guiltily, ashamed that he had kept such a valuable piece of information from me, "Yes."

I snickered as I realized just how much that made sense. Before, when I thought he was just highly observant, he was actually listening to all of the things I was thinking. He had laughed at the pictures I painted in my head of what I guessed his family looked like, and instantly, I felt embarrassed that he had seen my foolish vision. "That explains a lot," I claimed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"No, no," I put a hand up in protest, "that's alright. The topic didn't exactly come up, you know." I turned to the group of once-mythical creatures surrounding me, "Can all of you read minds too?"

The young man with the hair that was a gentle shade of honey, who I came to know as Jasper, shook his head in response. "No," he said to me, "that's just Edward, but some of us have other skills." He looked almost smug, and it tickled my curiosity.

Edward elucidated the specifics, "Alice can see the future, and Jasper can detect, as well as manipulate, someone's emotions."

I tried to remain humorous in the severity of the current situation. I looked to Alice and said, "So you are a walking crystal ball," then turned to Jasper, "and you are a walking pharmacy."

This brought on a soft wail of laughter among the collection of vampires, and Alice sang agreeably, "That's a way to put it, yes."

"Amazing," was all I could articulate.

Carlisle went on, which stunned me because I didn't think there was more to share, "Bella has the ability to shield herself and those around her from offensive powers that can attack the mind."

"When she wills," Edward divulged, "her mind is the only one I can't read."

He seemed rather frustrated by that.

"That's excellent," I said to Bella, "Ha-ha, I bet it comes in handy quite often."

She smiled at me and her teeth glimmered in the yielding light of the impending dusk. She then placed a loving hand on top of Renesmee's head.

At that moment, the little girl's face pinched inward and she pressed, "Don't forget about me, Grandpa!"

"How could I, Renesmee?" Carlisle wondered aloud. "You just may be the most special of us all."

I knelt down to the child's level and gave her a friendly grin, "What can you do, little one?"

Swollen with pride for his daughter, Edward answered my query even though it wasn't intended for him, "She can project her thoughts right into your head."

"I don't understand."

Esme shifted her weight from one leg to the other, not out of necessity but most likely out of habit, and said, "It is rather difficult to explain without demonstrating."

"I could show you," little Renesmee stated, shining from all the attention, "but I would have to touch you."

I thought about this for a moment.

"Well, it's okay with me, petite fille, as long as it's okay with your mommy and daddy."

She then looked up to her mother imploringly and without another word, Bella scooped her up in her arms and brought her towards me. I couldn't contain my exhilaration; I think I was bouncing in my shoes – so curious of the child's skill.

I heard a breathe catch in Rosalie's throat when Bella approached me.

_Jesus Christ_, I thought quickly to myself as I stood upright, _calm your fucking pants. It's not like I would do anything to the kid while I was completely surrounded by eight other vampires. Give me some fucking credit. I may be young, but I'm not an idiot. _

A small snicker escaped from Edward, and at once I knew it was because of my inner rumination.

If I could have blushed, I had no doubt that it's what I would have done at that very second.

Bella then stood before me, Renesmee resting comfortably in her arms, as if they were specially carved just for her, and the child gazed at me, awaiting a signal of some sort.

I just nodded. The ball was then in her court.

She reached forward slowly, and I shut my eyes tightly, allowing the heat of her skin to radiate right into me. She then laid her warm and dainty hand onto my cheek, and I gasped at what I saw.

As if it had come on a screen that descended from the heavens, I saw an image of Edward in a large, brightly lit room. His hair wasn't as messy, and he was dressed in a white suit shirt, rather than a gray tee. He was grinning widely at me and then I realized we were spinning, because the background moved in a tornado-like motion around us.

I pulled away, utterly dumbfounded.

"What was _that_?"

"She showed you a memory, Adeline," Edward said, and I sensed the glee in his tone.

I wanted more. I wanted to see more of this child's life, her memories, her dreams, and every thought that she had to offer. So I leaned forward again, begging mutely for another dose of her mind.

She giggled, flattered by my eagerness, and I shut my eyes before she held her hand against my cheek again.

It was a different vision this time, but it was of the same subject: her father. He was seated at a grand piano, his fingers stroking against the ivory keys. He looked up at me and his face flooded with so much love that I thought my heart was going to burst – it was then that I grasped that she was showing me images from her point of view.

The scene gradually changed, bleeding into something darker now. I was outside, under the mild gleam of night stars and shelter of the high forest trees, perched on a log by the river. A few yards off to the side were Bella and Edward; they were sharing a spot on a large rock adjacent to the river bank and Bella's feet were kicking gently in the flowing water. Edward had his arm draped around her and they were sniggering together, joyously lost in a good time… in their everlasting passion.

Another picture seeped across my eyelids, replacing the previous sight, and this one in particular had me mystified.

It was a visualization of Renesmee and me together, walking side-by-side and hand-in-hand down a path in the woods. We seemed to be laughing boisterously beneath the cloud-swathed sky, skipping the day away, and taking deep pleasure in each other's company. In the vision, I lifted Renesmee in my arms and we spun with abandon and overpowering elation. The pretty twists of her hair danced freely in the breeze as she held her head back, tittering without inhibition. I saw a huge smile on my face as I twirled with her in my safe grip. We stopped revolving and then just stood there, hugging one another.

And then the sight was gone.

I opened my eyes to see the jovial face of Miss Renesmee Cullen.

"That last one…" I said to her, "what was that last one? That couldn't have been a memory."

She shook her head and her curls followed suit, "It wasn't. It's just something I want to happen."

Renesmee fidgeted in her mother's arms, and then began to slide downward as Bella loosened her hold in accord. Within a fraction of a second, la petite fille was looking up at me, grinning. Hoping.

_Well_, I thought, _at least I know I made one friend out of all of this_.

"Two," Edward marked, nudging his elbow into me playfully.

I turned to him and nodded. That was going to take some getting used to.

_Two. _

I saw Emmett's brow crush into itself, "Two what?"

Edward shook it off, "Nothing."

I bent at my knees and crouched in front of Renesmee so that we were at the same height, "That is a tremendous gift, ma belle fille, you have an amazing talent." I stood up and addressed the rest of the vampires, ultimately deciding to be completely honest, "All of you do. And, because you shared your skills with me, I feel relieved… I feel like this has all been made easier."

Jasper was the first to question me, "What do you mean?"

I welcomed the silence as I paused to think of my own gift.

Just as I knew he would, Edward abruptly broke out into a sharp guffaw, "Oh my!"

Alice beamed knowingly as the others rested confused.

"What?" Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper asked in unison. It pleased me to think I piqued even Rosalie.

Edward's chortles began to dwindle, "Adeline, you've been holding out on me."

"On _us_," Alice corrected.

Esme could not take the suspense. "What are you two talking about?"

"It seems," Edward illustrated, "that Adeline here has a power of her own, and it's rather fantastic."

Carlisle tensed in a rigorous thrill, "Really? What is it, Adeline?"

"I think it would be better to show you."

Taking a step back, I surveyed my environment as the vampires waited patiently for a manifestation of my skill. My eyes then settled on a rhododendron bush growing alone at the base of a tall tree standing at the east of us. I focused on one individual flower, the fullest of them all, and reached my hand to its direction – something I did more for effect than requirement. Almost immediately subsequent to my locked gaze, the flower shook on the tiny branch, leaves rustled, and as I planned, it broke free from the bush. I felt the vampires watch it carefully.

As I moved my hand toward the group, the flower followed, floating gingerly through the air.

The family's captivation felt foreign to me, since I had grown accustomed to this "skill" of mine. In time, it became natural to me, regular and unimpressive. I liked the feeling of vicariously taking their awe as my own.

Soon, I had the flower suspended right in front of little Renesmee, and her sight was fastened securely to it, as were everyone else's. The child then put her hand forward and clutched the flower, still staring at it. I turned my palm to face the sky, curled my fingers inward, and then I flicked them outward (for effect, of course, because really, the control was all in my mind) and at once, the flower exploded and each pink petal flew into Renesmee's face and hair. She squealed noisily in delight and then she applauded me.

Carlisle was the first to advance. He picked one of the rhododendron petals from his granddaughter's hair and held it between his cold fingers, eyeing it as if it were a rare gem. I can't tell you how much that gratified me.

I assessed each pale face in my presence. Aside from Rosalie's, which had taken on strict apathy, they all looked shocked, but totally rapt.

Emmett startled the group with his sudden roar of, "That is freakin' _awesome_!"

"That," Carlisle choked out, pushing aside Emmett's howl, "is unlike anything I've ever seen."

"Telekinesis," Esme added. "That is quite extraordinary."

I took the chance to apologize to Edward, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

He nudged my side again, "Hey… it didn't exactly come up, did it?"

Snickering, I nodded at him.

Jasper inched forward now, wonder written all over his expression.

"Does your power have any restrictions?" he asked me.

_What does he mean by 'restrictions'?_

"Like size or quantity or even distance," Edward clarified.

_Oh_. "Oh," I said, "no… I haven't found any restrictions yet."

"You can control more than one object at once?" Carlisle inquired.

Although I was enjoying everyone's growing curiosity, I was becoming hesitant. I was torn. I didn't want to scare them away… but I felt that I owed them honesty.

I didn't put my response into words. I decided to show them again, perhaps out of conceit rather than the desire for aggregate truth. Without making pointless use of my arms this time, I focused my concentration – still with my eyes set on Carlisle's – on several broken twigs resting at our feet, six twigs to be precise. They drifted upward, claiming different exact altitudes, but still essentially hovering at waist height. They resembled feathers in their lack of density, but instead of falling gracefully to the forest floor, they hung in the air.

I heard many breaths catch in many throats at that, but the sound of Carlisle's was much more distinct than the others. Our gazes were locked onto each others, but I still saw his lips move, "You don't have to look at the object to move it?"

I shut my eyes then, but the twigs remained, motionless in their positions.

"Astounding," Esme declared.

Then, I allowed the twigs to rise higher in the air, still with my eyes closed. And at the very millisecond I willed them to fall back to the green floor, they did, making a soft crunching sound against the dead leaves.

I opened my eyes to scan the string of transfixed vampires.

Rosalie nodded at me once and said, "That _is _pretty… cool."

_Fuck yes, she's coming around_, I thought.

Alice then proposed an interesting subject, "What's the largest thing you've ever moved?"

_A building_, I recollected to myself, _in New York City. An old warehouse that caught fire._

The scene reappeared in my mind without my permission; a worn brick building engulfed in angry red flames, each block coming loose from the top and plummeting to smash into the pavement below, waves of destruction just rippling down to the foundation. Cement slabs turned free, beams broke, metal warped, and it was falling apart in front of my very eyes. Fire trucks and police cruisers and ambulances surrounded the perimeter. Eager rays of water flew out of the tips of several hoses, fighting the fire away, trying so very devotedly to kill it, to keep it from spreading and infecting, to keep it from annihilating the structure. I heard voices coming from the fourth floor, the fourth out of six. They were so scared, screaming wildly… but no one else heard them over the sirens and the crumbling and the water pressure. No one knew they were in there. The building was condemned after all, and it only had seconds left before it was to dismantle completely and crush the poor people inside.

I remembered the uncertainty, my insecurity in myself. I remembered trying, focusing, pulling in my gift to give it my all, my everything. I remembered, after a few attempts, the way it just stopped moving. The bricks had stopped dropping and the cement stopped collapsing. For few minutes, I had managed to sheath the building in what felt like a protective barrier, a drape, that helped it keep it shape just long enough for the three college students to rush through an emergency staircase and escape into the safety of the panic-stricken night. And just when I saw that everyone was a good distance away from the breaking warehouse, I let go of my grip on it. I let reclaim its course and destroy the tired remnants.

Edward, no doubt, had seen the recollection in my head, but before he had the chance to react, I answered Alice's question, "A train six cars long. When I was in Nevada, I found an abandoned train sitting dead on the tracks. No one was around for miles, so I experimented a little. I had it up seventy-four feet before I grew worrisome of getting caught. That's the biggest object I've lifted."

I stole a look at Edward. _I would have told them about the building, but I didn't want to brag._

He nodded at me, and I knew he understood.

"Astounding," Carlisle said again. "Can you do the same to yourself?"

"Can I make myself fly, you mean?"

"Yes."

I laughed then, the ridiculousness of this conversation finally sinking in, but I replied anyway, "That's my preferred mode of transportation."

"You can fly?!" Emmett exclaimed then, astonishment overpowering his face.

I bobbed my head once in confirmation.

"That is frickin' sweet; I've gotta shake your hand."

"What?" Rosalie blurted, glaring at her lover.

"Can I shake your hand?" Emmett respectfully requested, ignoring his wife's opposition.

"Um, sure you can."

He walked forward at my consent, with his hand craned in my direction.

I grabbed it in mine once it was accessible and I twitched at the warmth. Of course his skin wouldn't feel cold to me… he and I, and the others, were the same temperature. His grip was strong but friendly, and he shook my hand as promised.

"It's a fucking treat to meet you, Adeline," he pushed out through a wide and earnest grin.

"Mind your manners." Esme chided him. "How could you swear in front of the lady?"

"It's alright," I assured her, "I can take it." I then spoke to the large fellow clutching my hand in his, reciprocating his mannerism. "It's a real fucking pleasure, Emmett."

He released his clasp and threw his head back in a throaty cackle. Then he asserted, "I like you."

"Adeline," Esme chimed. "Before we came out here, Edward explained to us that you are without a home."

"By choice," Edward included. He knew that if he didn't add those two words, I would have done it myself.

"Right," she said, "so you are, my dear, a sort of nomad?"

"I think 'drifter' has a better ring to it," I shared, lightheartedly, even though it was the truth.

"When was the last time you had a hot bath?"

Sheepishly, I revealed, "Four days ago."

Emmett chortled and took it upon himself to tease me, "So _that's_ what that smell is."

"Good one. You should do stand-up," I retorted. Then I spoke to Esme as Emmett stood there laughing, "I had just finished hunting when Edward found me. I had planned on getting a hotel room somewhere nearby so that I could shower and do laundry." I kicked the canvas duffle bag at my feet.

"A hotel room? Oh my, we can't have that."

"No we cannot," Carlisle affirmed sternly, yet sweetly. "We would like to invite you to our home, where you can freshen up."

Beginning to protest their hospitality, I lifted my hands, palms outward, and said, "I don't think…"

"Please." Esme insisted with vivid charity in her eyes, "It's the least that we can do."

"And then after you're all cleaned up and comfortable," Carlisle continued, full of hope, "you can tell us your story."

I felt a massive smile stretch across my face, and I urged it even wider. How had I become so lucky to meet these fascinating and generous people? I must have done something right in my time on this earth.

"Okay," I accepted their offer. "Thank you very much."

And without another word, I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder and began to follow them through the thick weave of the forest, leaving my initial reservations behind.


	3. 3: My second birth

**Three: **My second birth

The sky had darkened radically as we enclosed on their home – their beautiful home, which was not at all what I so foolishly expected. It was three stories tall, dominated by wide glorious windows, and painted in a blinding and stunning white. It stuck out against the deep green backdrop, but at the same time, it blended in wondrously. The house exuded an aura of belonging, like it was a true part of the woodland.

Carlisle, who had assumed the lead in our vampire parade, paused at the top of the stoop and turned to face me, "Welcome to our home, Adeline Bird," he said.

I would have cried if I could.

Stepping in after Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Renesmee, and Bella, I entered through the front door. Edward walked in behind me and took a place at my side.

Before I could appreciate the beauty of the home's interior design – the polished hardwood floors, the blue damask drapes, the smartly upholstered furniture, and the excellent color-coordination – I was confronted by two things at once: a strange, unrecognizable smell, well… stench, rather, and a young man I didn't know.

He was seated at the couch in the center of the grand living room, but stood up the second he saw me come in. He looked to be in his early twenties and had a very scruffy appearance. His prominent five o'clock shadow, messy black hair that reached just past his ears, tattered jeans and shabby t-shirt, however, did not take away from the beauty of his skin – a russet color that graced my vision. I then noticed a heart beat, but… no thirst plagued me, not even in the slightest way. Odd.

His heart rhythm sped to what sounded like a pulse of hundred and eleven beats per minute.

"I can't believe you brought her here!" he shouted, the gruffness of his voice not doing justice to his apparent age. He didn't shout at Carlisle or Esme or any of the others… just at Edward. His arms, defined with sinuous muscles, flailed about. "Are you crazy? You don't know this blood-sucker; she could snap at any second!"

_Blood-sucker? _I thought. _What a cheeky little prick. _

Edward stifled a laugh and pressed his lips into a thin line as he addressed the man, "Remember who you're talking to, boy." He enunciated that last word, most likely intending to put the 'boy' in his place. "This is not your home, it is ours, and we will do with it what we will."

The man approached me as the others fanned out, taking seats, totally unaffected by his blatant discomfort with me. Edward closed the door behind us, but then reclaimed his stance next to me. Renesmee ran to the man's side and took her hand in his as she walked with him.

The man stopped in his tracks just six feet away from Edward and me. I didn't know what to think of him. I didn't know whether to feel threatened or humiliated or guilty. All I did know, though, was that his indescribable and terribly unpleasant smell intensified with his closeness. I stopped breathing because I just couldn't take it.

_Holy flying fuck, he reeks._

At this thought, Edward turned to me and said, "I know. You get used to it."

Our private exchange irritated the man, and he roared, "What? What do you get used to?"

Edward didn't falter, "Your stink."

Rosalie giggled in the background. Although I couldn't see her behind the man, I heard her sing, "I don't know what you're talking about, Edward… _I_ haven't gotten used to it yet."

"Nor have I," Jasper admitted from his spot beside Alice on a taupe chaise lounge.

Then the man did something that I truly did not anticipate: he laughed a hearty and guttural laugh.

His heart rate decreased within moments to eighty-seven.

He moved forward and offered his free hand to me, "I'm Jacob."

Touched by his sudden development of civility, I accepted his hand, but before I could introduce myself, I pulled it away because his flesh… burned. It wasn't the temperature of a human, that was for certain. It was much too hot and it hurt my skin.

He brought his hand back to his side and apologized, "I'm sorry. I should have warned you."

Rubbing my palm against my opposite forearm to cool it off, I stammered out, "No, uh, no problem. Uh, I'm Adeline."

"That's a cool name," he complimented me.

"Thanks," I stated. "Um, why are you so hot? Do you have a fever? I've got some Tylenol in my bag."

"Thanks, but I don't need it. This fever is kind of…" he trailed on, "a constant thing. I always run hot."

Edward tended now to Jacob. "I thought you were going to meet up with Leah and Seth."

Jacob shook his head as he scooped Renesmee into his arms with great ease. He talked over her elated squeal, "I changed my mind. I thought it would be better to hang out here."

"Well, damn it, Jake," the vampire beside me grunted, "If I had known you were going to be here, I would have explained things to Adeline."

"What, Mr. Telepathy couldn't hear my thoughts all the way out in the woods?"

"I was a little distracted, obviously."

"Wait," I interjected, "Explain _what_ to me?"

Esme spoke from her seat on the armrest of the chair that Carlisle had claimed, "Perhaps we should discuss this later. Wouldn't you like a hot shower, Adeline?"

_Oh God yes. Point me in the direction of the soothing hot water please._

"Yes, I would love one, thank you so much."

"Alice?" Esme turned to the pixie, "could you please show our guest to the bathroom?"

The pixie-vampire, whose gorgeousness I found incredibly staggering, jumped up from her seat and half-danced towards me. She took my hand with her tiny and delicate fingers, smiling as she said, "Come on."

I followed her up the winding staircase, my duffle bag still on my shoulder, and soon we were treading, well I was treading and she was skipping, down a long hallway. Eventually we came to a door on the far right side of the corridor and we entered, still hand-in-hand.

The bathroom was beautiful, accented with tiles the shade of the Caribbean Sea, decorative white towels and lace curtains, gray granite counter tops, and brass faucets. The ivory claw-footed tub at the back of the room was the main focus. A steel bar that was bent in an oval shape suspended from the ceiling just above the tub and from it, a pale yellow shower curtain hung. Everything was so faultless, so pristine… I almost didn't want to touch anything. But I was in a dire, desperate need for a good bathing.

Alice took the bag from my shoulder and I was astonished at how she set it on the toilet seat without any difficulty. I, quite literally, had my entire life packed into that very bag, and she lifted it with all its contents in such effortlessness, as if it were a coin purse rather than an extra-large army-issued duffle sack. I mean, yes, I knew she was a vampire and had the same super strength that I did, but her meek frame was very misleading.

"Okay, so, towels are in the cupboard below the sink, and shampoo and soap just to the left of them," she told me. "I'll throw your clothes into the wash for you." She unbuttoned the bag's flap and began to pull out garments.

"That's not necessary," I said as I took my hair out of the ponytail and ran my fingers through it. "I'll be happy to do it myself after I get cleaned up."

"Don't be silly. I love to do laundry," Alice persisted, "it makes me feel human."

She grabbed a dark blue plastic laundry basket from the floor and began tossing all of my clothes into it.

Apparently there was no winning with her.

"Those too," she said, pointing to what I was wearing.

"Alice, these are clean."

"They're dusty. Give them to me; I'll put them in with this load."

I was taken aback. "But I won't have anything to wear when I get out of the shower."

"Sure you will," she politely argued, "I'll lend you something."

I looked her over. She was clad in a flattering and sleeveless magenta satin mini dress with a plunging neckline and black leggings. Her tiny feet were strapped into very complicated and very silver high-heeled sandals. It was a wonder how she managed to keep them impeccable even after trudging through the forest terrain just minutes earlier.

No matter how diligently I tried, I couldn't imagine myself in a similar outfit.

"Thank you, Alice," I spoke, "but I'll just wear what I have on now. I can wash them the next time laundry day comes around."

She paused for just a moment, eyeing me, but not in any particular way. "Suit yourself," she agreed.

Alice mumbled under her breath as she inspected each article of apparel before throwing it into the basket, "I'm going to have to take you shopping while you're here."

I didn't respond because it sounded like she didn't plan for me to hear it. It then struck me that I didn't really know how long I would be here, in Washington. I had no intention whatsoever of even entering the state in the first place – it was a chance occurrence fueled by my hunting instincts. I had hooked onto the scent of prey and followed it, unaware of where it was leading me. And before I could process my surroundings, I had ended up in a place called Forks and was standing in a bathroom with one of the _nine _other vampires I just met.

"Can I ask you a question, Alice?"

She perked her head up, distracted from her task, "Yes."

"Even though you already know what my question will be?"

She smiled and repeated, "Yes."

"Did you see me coming?"

Shaking her head, Alice addressed my inquiry, "No. My visions are subjective to the decisions people make. And since your crossing the border into Washington was spontaneous, I didn't see you until Edward went into the woods to hunt, got hold of your scent, and started to track it."

_Subjective to the decisions people make_… _interesting_.

"What do you see happening after today?"

"A lot of things," she shrugged, sighing in frustration. "Nothing is definite as of now. It's very annoying." She grinned again. "You haven't made up your mind yet."

"I haven't made up my mind about what?"

"About staying," Alice giggled as she picked up where she left off and resumed filling the basket with my clothes. It would have taken a lot less time if she didn't study each bit with critical judgment, but I loved that she did. "You don't know whether you're going to stay or go."

"I didn't know I had the option."

Zeal seeped from her pores, "Of course you do, Adeline! You have all kinds of different options. You could stay in Forks, if that turns out to be what you want."

"You mean that…" I stammered, "You mean that you and your family would let me stay in town?"

Her eyebrows crinkled, "Let you? Why would we need to _let_ you?"

"I don't know… because this is your territory?"

"You're so strange," she said lightly, and because her tone was so sweet, I took it as a compliment rather than an insult. "You are free to do what you want. Besides, it would be nice to have you around, and I don't think I'm speaking for just myself."

"What makes you say that?"

"The visions," she answered point-blank. "The second we headed for the house, I started seeing all sorts of things, based on decisions the others have made. I think you're wanted here more than you know."

I bent down and opened the cabinet, submerged in conversation with Alice but still with my eye on the prize of a nice hot shower in the near future. I pulled out two thick white bath towels and queried, "What things are you seeing?"

She chucked my last pair of pants and my last sweatshirt into the now overflowing basket, stood up from her hunched position, and placed her palms on her hips. She exhaled in recollection. "I see you playing video games with Emmett in the living room. I see you making Renesmee float around like Superwoman in the backyard. I see you in our library with Esme and Carlisle, reading books together. I see you sitting next to Edward on his piano bench, watching him play one of his compositions. I see you renting a house in town and coming by every week to go hunting with us. I see you moving in with us and becoming a part of the family." She hesitated to divulge the next vision. "And I see you walking away and never coming back."

That last one stung a little but at the same time I found it kind of funny because I knew exactly who that image belonged to.

Alice's lips formed a small smirk and we uttered the name together, "Rosalie."

We laughed at our synchronization.

"I hope it doesn't come to that," she commenced once our laughter subsided, "and neither do the others."

"If it does though, I promise you that I'll visit."

"You better!" she exclaimed. She composed herself then, straightening out the wrinkles in the skirt of her dress. "Okay, well, I'll let you shower now. We'll be downstairs when you're finished."

She allotted me another smile before she left the bathroom and then I was alone. I don't know exactly how quickly I tore off my clothes, but all I am sure of is that if I had tried to do it that fast while I was still human… I'd have broken something. I turned the brass handle in the shower so that it was halfway between Hot and Cold and then I let the water run for a moment. I scrutinized my nude self in the mirror before stepping into the tub. Vampire Adeline was so different than Human Adeline that every time I saw myself naked, it was a shock.

Within the three days of the transformation, I had somehow lost thirty pounds, but I wasn't complaining. My stomach no longer had that muffin-top effect and my upper arms didn't sag when I held them out horizontally. I had lost that second chin and my thighs didn't rub together anymore when I walked. I never had a problem with my body as a human because even though my flaws were so obvious, I knew I was beautiful in my own way. But now, as a vampire, I was beautiful in the _best_ way. I loved everything about my new figure: my unblemished white skin, my humble but noteworthy breasts, my long and curvy legs, my lean neck, the sharpness of my shoulders, the arch of my back, and the narrowness of my waist. It was going to take some getting used to, even after three years, but I was more than willing.

I cut through the shower curtain and stood still under the hot water a while. Well, I suppose to a human it would feel a little cool, but on my ice-like skin, it was hot and soothing and unrivaled to anything I ever experienced. It was long overdue.

Remembering that I needed to clean myself and not just stand under the water, I focused on the cabinet that was just on the opposite side of the curtain. I couldn't see it happening, but after a second or two, a bottle of shampoo and a small container of soap floated above the shower drape rod and into my bubble. My power was often quite useful.

I took my time in the shower since I was unsure of when my next one was going to be.

Over the din of the running water, I caught a few pieces of the discussion carrying on downstairs.

"She's only three years old and she's already trained herself to control her thirst. That is absolutely amazing, isn't it, love?" Carlisle's voice rang quietly.

Esme spoke now, "Yes it is, darling. This has put all of our theories into questioning. Clearly, the transition from human to vampire is different for different individuals. Perhaps it depends on what the person was like as a mortal."

"That's a good point," Jasper included. "Bella's easy adjustment was hard to understand. I couldn't pinpoint if it was because she had so long to prepare herself mentally or if it was because of something bigger. But now that there is another vampire who exhibits the same outstanding self-control, it seems that the quality of the adaptation is subjective. But then again, we aren't certain that she _didn't_ have the opportunity for preparation. "

"Edward," I heard Esme call to her son, "did she tell you anything about how she came to be like us?"

"No," he replied, "she didn't even think about it. So I'm in the dark about as much as you are."

"I bet it's a bad-ass story," Emmett enthusiastically chimed in. That one made me giggle. Emmett was such a playful soul. If I wound up staying, I hoped to truly befriend that big bear of a man, as I did all of them. He continued, "I bet it's something like out of a movie. She was dancing in a night club and then was seduced by this tall dark and handsome guy, who, at the time, she didn't know was a vampire." I was stifling my full-blown laughter now. "They danced and danced and then he took her back to his place – a seedy yet charming apartment on the bad side of town. He showed her his art collection and they fell in love in spite of their differences and he–"

He didn't finish because Edward interrupted him, and he sounded rather irritated, "Emmett, be realistic. It's probably a gruesome tale. I highly doubt that she was lucky enough to be turned under such enjoyable circumstances. It's likely that her story will be a sad one." His voice was laced with sympathy, and it touched me. Then he spoke again, but his tone changed into something harder. "Jacob, please take Renesmee to the cottage. I would much rather that she wasn't in the house to hear Adeline talk about how this happened to her."

Renesmee whined, "Daddy! I want to hear the story!"

He talked with loving authority, "No, Nessie. You are too young to hear this."

"But Daddy!"

Bella backed up her husband, "Do as your father says, sweetheart."

The child didn't argue any further, "Fine."

There was a clattering sound followed by several footsteps and the noise of a door shutting. Jacob and Renesmee had left.

"I can tell her the story later," Edward assured the others, "and paraphrase if need be."

After having scrubbed every part of my body twice, I rinsed myself off and stood under the hot water for a few more minutes than necessary. As I shut off the valve and began to dry off, I found myself anticipating what was coming up next. I was very eager to share my tale because I craved that connection, that bond. I knew that it would probably be the only time I was to get to recount my chronicles for an audience, and since the audience was so appropriate and so easy to relate to, I was excited… thrilled, even.

Neglecting my soaking hair, I tied it in a messy bun and threw my clothes on as fast as I could – which was actually quite fast. Without needing to put the thought through the usually essential processes, I was dressed in a fifth of a second, the water dripping from my hair and darkening the back of my Zeppelin tee.

I hung my used towels on the curtain rod to dry out and returned the shampoo and soap to their home beneath the sink. I pulled a small toiletry bag from my duffle, removing the contents I needed. I brushed my teeth, humming a little, and applied a modest amount of eyeliner and mascara.

When I was done, I put all of my things back into the sack and brought it with me through the bathroom door. It was much lighter now since my wardrobe was not inside it. Once I reached the foot of the steps that I took to get to where I was, I heard the tumbling roar of a washing machine, which I could tell was located on the first floor and in the eastern wing of the house. The timer ticked away, signifying that there were twenty minutes left of the cycle.

_More than enough time,_ I thought to myself as I descended the twisting staircase.

After only moments, I saw the Cullen family had assembled in the living room just as Alice promised. She and Jasper were on the chaise lounge like before. Esme and Carlisle were still in the arm chair, but now she was sitting on his lap with her arm around his shoulders. Rosalie, whose presence surprised me, was positioned on the left side of the couch, resting her elbow on the overstuffed arm, and Emmett was sitting Indian style on the floor, his back against her shins and knees. Rosalie had her free hand in his hair, idly playing with it. Bella and Edward were in the corner with the piano that I had seen in the vision Renesmee showed me – Edward seated at the bench and Bella perched up on top of the piano itself, her long legs kicking over the edge. They all looked like a real family, like a glorious portrait that was just freshly painted. I feared disturbing the masterpiece, smudging the wet colors with my intrusion.

I felt that I didn't belong there with them. I had half the mind to make a B-line right to the door and leave the Cullens in peace.

Before I could make a proper choice, Esme asked me a question with a genuine smile on her face, "Did you enjoy your shower, Adeline?"

"Yes, I did," I replied, "Thank you so much for opening your home to me."

"It's the least we can do for a friend," she claimed.

_A friend, _I thought, _I like the sound of that._

I dropped my bag to the floor, walking over to an ottoman that was positioned perfectly against the southern wall. It faced everyone. As I sat down, I declared, "I suppose it's time for me to carry through with my part of the bargain."

Bella crossed her legs and leaned forward, pressing her elbows into her top knee, "You don't have to, you know. If you think it will make you uncomfortable, we can talk about something else."

Her husband reiterated, "That's right. Please don't feel obligated."

The funny thing is that I _did_ feel obligated, but in a good way. I felt like if I didn't tell them my story that very second, my body would cave in on itself and Adeline Bird would cease to exist. The action of opening up completely to the Cullens, my fellow vampires, was so vital to me, so very imperative. I needed to do it. But most importantly, I truly and indisputably wanted to do it.

"I am just fine. It would be an honor to have you all know my history."

"Should I get a box of tissues?" Emmett teased with a big fat grin dominating his features.

"Only if you don't think you're man enough to handle it," I retorted with the same good humor he served.

He released one loud cackle and refocused his sight on me.

Everyone was quiet, waiting for me to begin.

So I did just that.

"Well, um…" I paused to put my thoughts in order. "Before I was turned, I was twenty-one and living in the great city of Long Beach, California. The ocean was my backyard and the salty sea air my perfume. I had a nice apartment, a decent job as the nightshift secretary at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, I had a good education and the best friends and family anyone could ask for. I had a _wonderful_ life. I was happy. But… I was dying."

That last sentence had confused them, but I didn't plan to leave it at that. Elaboration was my primary goal, so I continued. "I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four months after my twentieth birthday. By the time I turned twenty-one, it advanced into the terminal stage, the end stage. The doctors estimated that I had less than one year left as an able-bodied patient, and then another three to six months to spend my life bed ridden and suffering. If I agreed to increase my chemo treatments, I could have tacked on some more time. But I wasn't interested in destroying my body and weakening it in the process of trying to postpone its deterioration. So I refused treatment, all treatment. Call it stubborn, call it ignorant, call it reckless… but that is what I did. I decided to play the cards that I was dealt. I had my good days, but I had my bad days too. That didn't stop me. I kept my job and my apartment. I kept going about my daily routine like nothing had changed. I tried to keep life the way it was before shit hit the fan.

"When I was just two months into my final 'able-bodied' days… that's when it happened. That's when I died and was given the gift of eternal life at the same time.

"I was walking home from work one morning – I had left early because I was having one of my sick spells. I didn't think I'd make it if I took the long way, so I took a shortcut through the park. It was a beautiful night, one of the many that blesses that city. The sun wasn't even close to rising yet. I remember the cool air against my cheeks. I remember the way the stars glinted like a bed of diamonds. I even remember the rustling sound of the leaves in the wind: soft, sweet, and melodic."

I felt a little misty-eyed as I continued, recalling every detail and replaying the events in my head.

"I passed a large group of bushes halfway through the park and I heard a crunching noise, but I didn't think anything of it. I figured it was a squirrel or something. When I was just a couple dozen feet from the opening at the fence, when I was just two blocks away from home, from my bed, from my little world, I felt him grab me. He came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my mouth so I couldn't scream. He held me so tight that I thought my body would snap. He dragged me into the brush and thrashed me to the ground."

I paused, the memory taking advantage of my disposition.

Jasper must have sensed my distress because he said, "If you can't go on, Adeline, don't force yourself."

"I'm fine," I insisted. I took a breath and let the comforting scents of my new vampire friends consume every bit of me: honeysuckle, vanilla, homemade bread, warm caramel, and sunlight. Then I went on. "I couldn't see his face in the dark, not even under the starlight. All I could see were his red eyes, those bright, paralyzing eyes. He growled at me. He told me to stop fighting or it would hurt more. I didn't even realize I had been fighting. It was an unconscious reaction. I didn't know what he was going to do – rape me or kill me or both."

When those words passed from my lips, I was incredibly and preposterously grateful that Renesmee wasn't there to hear them.

"With his stone-like hand crushing into my throat, he tore through one of my pant legs and bit into my thigh, right here." I opened my legs a little bit and pointed to my jean-covered inner left thigh to show them exactly where He sank his teeth into me.

"I didn't know why, but it hurt more than it should have. It burned, like my leg had just ignited in that very spot and it started to spread, very slowly. The pain was excruciating, just unbearable. I had never felt anything like it before. I was writhing, even under his unconquerable grip, while he just… sucked away at my blood. If I still had the ability to sleep, I'm certain that the slurping sound would haunt my dreams. After a few seconds or so, seconds that felt like centuries, things started to get hazy. My vision blurred as the pain intensified and spread all the way to my chest. I don't know exactly why he decided to pull away when he did, maybe he heard someone coming, I don't know… but he did pull away, he did leave me there… alive but in agony that could give hell a run for its money. He had disappeared and left me behind, totally weak and immobile from the stinging.

"My voice wouldn't work. I wanted to scream. I wanted to call out to whoever may have been near, but I couldn't. I could barely breathe because of how hard he held my throat. The edges of my sight started turning black instead of just blurring out. I was so scared of the pain. I knew it wasn't ordinary, I knew it wasn't like any old flesh wound. There was something in me. He had put something in me that made my whole body feel like it was on fire.

"I had somehow managed to crawl out of the bushes, fighting the pain, trying to keep it away long enough to move. I kept crawling and crawling until I just couldn't do it anymore. I pulled myself into an abandoned shop across the street, a place that had once been a bookstore or something, but it went out of business. The windows were boarded up and the door was locked, but I slithered through an open air duct in the back.

"I didn't know what was happening to me, but I knew I wasn't dying, and I didn't want to be found whatever way I was going to end up. So I curled up, body still aching, veins still searing, sight still smudging, underneath a counter and waited. Within minutes, everything went black."

Taking a second to look at the enthralled and compassionate faces around me, I added, "I woke up three days later… like this."

A silence draped over my audience. Each pair of eyes facing me had an overwhelming cloud of sympathy burning behind them, even Rosalie's.

That was the last thing I wanted. I didn't want to evoke pity from my new friends. What kind of impression of me would that leave in them?

Esme sliced through the quiet veil and her voice cracked almost inaudibly, "I'm so sorry you that happened to you, Adeline."

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"I'm not," I stated honestly.

"How do you mean?"

"Yes, it hurt like hell, and yes it was terrifying…" I began, "but if I had the chance to go back and redo it all, I wouldn't. I was given the greatest gift conceivable for someone in my position. I was given everlasting life, endless time. I admit that the delivery was rather unpleasant, but the end result… unquestionably splendid. I was going to die in less than two years. I wasn't going to have the chance to do all of the things I wanted. I wasn't going to get to travel the world, meet new people, or see the beauty that the world has to offer. My life was going to be cut short. And that man, that vampire – even though his intentions were monstrous and selfish – changed everything for me. I love what he gave me. I love what I am." My hand was clutching my chest now, and the action felt kind of futile since there my heart was not beating beneath my flesh.

"But you had to give up so much," Rosalie said with gloom in her tenor.

Instantly, I was reminded of everything I missed from my human life: my family, my friends, Natasha…

Emmett piped, preventing my mind from straying, "You didn't finish your story. What happened after you woke up?"

Eagerness coated every bit of him, and at that moment, all that I had any interest in doing was trying to feed his pulsing curiosity.

"I was reborn," I explained to him, to all of them, "It was like coming out of a coma, I imagine, but instead of being groggy or disoriented, I felt recharged. Renewed. Revamped." I giggled softly at the last word. What a perfect choice. "Everything was just… illuminated. I saw the details in the littlest things with my new eyes. I saw new colors that weren't even named yet. My body moved in a way that seemed to skip basic measures. I was so fast, so swift in every motion. I couldn't believe it. And then I caught sight of my reflection in a dirty slab of glass. So different, I looked _so_ different. I truly didn't think it was me in the glass, it couldn't have been." I smiled and glanced down at my hands, which were fidgeting in my lap, remembering my surprise. "My face narrowed and slimmed, defining cheekbones I never knew I had, and tightening my jaw line. My skin had lost its pigment but obtained a milky glow. And every curve and angle of my body acquired a certain grace that… startled me. I no longer stood a cumbersome, maladroit human. I had finesse. I had poise. And for the first time, I was beautiful.

"And my eyes, oh God, my eyes… they were such a bright red, like an enhanced shade of ripe strawberries. And my hearing had augmented. I heard every unthinkable sound without even trying; the dust particles accumulating on the surfaces around me, the heart beats of the people walking around outside, the traffic across town, the pitter-patter of ants and spiders and the flaps of flies' wings in the room. It was amazing."

I felt my eyebrows pinch together as I recalled my first breath as a vampire.

"Then I noticed that I wasn't breathing," I said, "because I couldn't smell anything. I inhaled once but stopped immediately once the burning in my throat and the longing in the pit of my stomach started. Something inside me had detonated the second I took in that smell… the sweet scent of what I somehow knew was human blood. Oh how it surrounded me, blanketed me in thirst and lust and hunger and want and need and insanity and fury all at once. I wanted to give in to it. I wanted to taste the blood.

"Just as I was about to crash through one of the boarded windows, I quickly realized what I had become, and I didn't bother to take the time to ponder the impossibility. I knew what I was, although I didn't dare say the word aloud. I knew that I wanted human blood. I wanted it on my tongue, my lips; I wanted it to trickle down my chin. I wanted to revel in it, to soak in it. But I was consciously aware of what that would entail. If I went outside, grabbed the first person I saw, dragged them back in and devoured them... I would have been a monster. I didn't want to be a monster. So I waited, fighting the overbearing urges with every ounce of strength I had, not breathing… and just suffering. When it got to be around 3 AM and I didn't hear anyone on the streets outside, I crawled out of the shop and jumped down a manhole to the city sewer system."

The vampire family looked at me with even more awe than before, and it made me feel a little awkward.

_What is so fascinating?_

Edward answered my internal question, "You," he said to me. "It is unfathomable that you locked onto the scent of someone human only moments after you woke up and then somehow managed to deny yourself the temptation. I have never heard of such a thing."

"Nor have I," Carlisle told. "How did you do it, Adeline?"

I answered him honestly, "I… I don't know."

Carlisle paused for a moment and then urged me to proceed.

I did what was asked of me.

"For six days, I remained down in the sewer, hiding and living off of rats and raccoons that came through the drainage pipes. Their blood didn't satiate me completely, but it sure helped calm the burning. And it tasted good. I spent those days telling myself that human blood was like movie theater popcorn – it smelled a lot better than it tasted." Emmett laughed at my comparison, shaking the floor. I continued. "I told myself that what I really wanted was what flowed through the veins of animals, not people. Contrary to what I expected, it worked.

"It was a sad and lonely week down there. I had so much time to think since I no longer needed sleep, so that's what I did. I thought about how I was going to live this new life without exposing myself to others. I had already found out about the sunlight issue, after a beam of light came through a half-open manhole and made my skin twinkle like a fucking Christmas tree. I knew that if I could cover up well enough, I could go by undetected among the people. But I had other things to worry about. My eyes, for one, would have given me away instantaneously. My cold hard skin was another problem, along with my newly acquired speed. I had a hard time toning that down at first, but I eventually got the hang of it.

"After some reflection, I decided that I would just let my friends and family think that I was dead, as hard as I knew it would be. I was determined to make a new life and take advantage of the extra time I was granted. So after I drank as much rodent blood that I thought would do the trick, I escaped from the sewer in the middle of the night.

"First, I went to my apartment to pack a few things, things that I didn't want to leave behind, things that I knew no one would notice were gone – a couple of photo albums, my iPod and charger, and some clothes. I emptied out my accounts that morning, holding my breath the entire time I was with the bank clerk. And then I fled the city.

"I just kept running and running, enjoying the wind against my face. I looked for a place where there no people. Even though I knew I had already established a sense of self-control, I wouldn't risk being around human when everything was still so new. I came upon a ghost town in the Mojave. I couldn't smell anyone and couldn't hear anyone, and I knew no one was around for miles. It was a great place to set up camp, so to speak. I moved into an old diner because it was the only building that still had electricity and running water. I stayed there for about six months, living off the blood of the local wildlife. I grew rather partial to coyotes." I snickered then, remembering my first big kill. "They usually gave up one hell of a fight, which was always fun. I was in the desert when I discovered my ability. What a fucking day that was." I released a thick laugh. "It made hunting a lot easier though.

"At least twice a week, I ran out to Vegas to see how well I could be in the company of humans without, you know, killing any of them. A risky experiment, I know, but there really was no alternative. I had to be sure. I never hurt anyone, don't worry. Each time got easier and easier, and eventually it got to the point where I could walk among them on the street without even feeling the slightest bit of thirst. I amazed myself because although I was fully aware of their sweet and tantalizing scents… I felt nothing for them. After the last test, I moved out of the desert and started the life I wanted, the life I was finally ready for. Since then, I've been all over the world. I've been to countries I never even knew existed. I met so many wonderful people and did so many wonderful things. After having seen almost all of Europe and almost every state in America, I went to Canada. During one of my hunts, I accidentally crossed the border and… here I am."

The second I spoke my final word, I knew something was different. By telling the Cullens the events that had brought me to them, I created an invisible, but invincible, connection between myself and each of them. There was no going back now. I knew that even if I decided to leave and pick my life up where I had left off, the Cullens would forever be a part of me. And at that thought, my venomous heart swelled within the confinement of my chest. This new bond could not be undone. This new bond was meant to stay.


	4. 4: Coming out of the closet

**Four: **Coming out of the closet

Carlisle gently moved Esme off of his leg and he stood up, walking towards me. His expression was soft and convivial. I stood as well, following suit, and met him halfway in the middle of the living room.

He took my hand in his like a father would do with a daughter, "Adeline, I can't tell you how happy I am to know you are so comfortable with us to have shared your story."

Over Carlisle's shoulder, I saw Esme approach us. She stood beside her husband and said to me, "The same goes for me as well, my dear." She took my other hand in hers and gazed into my eyes with a kindhearted stare. "Alice told us you haven't made a choice yet about what you are going to do… and I just want to let you know that whatever your choice may be, you are always welcome here. Please don't ever forget that you are far from alone in this world."

I pulled Esme into me and hugged her, "Thank you," I uttered into her hair. "Thank you."

Releasing her, I repeated to the other vampires: Edward, Bella, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie, "Thank you all so much."

Carlisle looked down at the intricate watch on his wrist, "Goodness," he blurted, "I'm going to be late." He looked up at me apologetically, "I'm sorry, Adeline. I wish I could stay and discuss more of this with you, but I've agreed to pick up a shift at the hospital tonight."

"You're a doctor?"

This is when I grasped that the day had been mainly about me. How could I let myself do all of the talking?

He smiled at me, not noticing my shame and disappointment in failing to learn more about my new friends, "Yes, at Forks General Hospital." He paused, placing his hands in his pockets, "You know… there's an opening for a unit clerk on the telemetry floor." He grinned and I saw what he was getting at. "Perhaps I can pick you up an application?"

I shook my head as politely as possible, "I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

He chuckled, but no doubt sensing the seriousness of my statement, "Alright then. Will I see you in the morning?"

"I believe so."

He took my hand in his again and gave it one good tug, "Until morning, then."

"Until morning," I agreed.

Carlisle was out of the room in a flash. Immediately, I heard a series of sounds: a garage door opening, an engine starting up, gravel crunching against the heavy weight of car tires, a garage door closing, and a car accelerating into traffic.

"It's eight o'clock already?" Bella wondered aloud, hopping from her perch on the grand piano.

Edward kept still in his seat, his eyes set on me while his wife fixed her hair with a few easy strokes and spoke, "I have to go make Charlie dinner. He's probably on his way home from the station. Edward, are you coming?"

"No, sweetheart," he responded, "I'm going to stay here."

"Okay," said Bella, "I'm taking Nessie and Jacob though. We won't be back too late."

After kissing Edward farewell, she glided over to me like an ice dancer in a spotlight, "Adeline, it's been a true pleasure. I hope to see you when I get back tonight. And thank you for telling us your story. I know it must have been difficult to relive every detail in your head." With a brief caress of my shoulder, she was off through the front entrance.

_I didn't even get the chance to ask her who Charlie is. _

Edward, again, replied to my concealed speculation, "Charlie is her father. He's human."

Without asking him more about the situation with Bella and her _human _father, I turned to Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice, who had each taken seats on the enormous sofa, "Does he do that a lot?"

"You mean violate your rights to have private thoughts?" Jasper specified with a smirk at Edward.

"Yes."

"Constantly," he declared.

Edward pointed animatedly at Jasper, "Don't act like you don't take advantage too, Jazz." He faced me then. "I cannot even _begin_ to tell you how often he gives me mood swings. One minute, I'm somber, playing a quiet piece on my piano, and the next, I'm laughing like a maniac who just broke out of an asylum."

I pictured it to the best of my ability and laughed. Edward seemed like a very composed fellow and the image of him letting loose in a fit of cackles just tickled me in all the right places.

"That's classic," I said through labored gasps.

He looked a little sore. "We'll see if you still think so when he does it to you."

I halted my laughter and turned to the potential culprit, "Don't you dare," I told Jasper.

"What makes you think I didn't do it already?" he questioned me smugly.

"Well," Rosalie intervened, stretching her long and shapely legs while standing from her seat on the couch, "as thrilling as this conversation is, I've got to leave it and get some hunting done. It's been too long."

Her tall heels clicked on the polished wooden floor as she closed in on me. She placed her hands on her lovely hips once she felt the distance between us was acceptable, and she said, "I apologize for being rude before, but I'm sure you can understand my abrasiveness."

I didn't say anything. I just nodded, astonished by her contrition.

"Good." She reached her hand out to me, prompting me to take it in mine and give it a shake. "I also… I also…" she muttered the last five words, meshing them together and making them almost indistinct, "hope to see you later."

"You will."

Edward began lightly playing a piece that sounded like Bach, but I wasn't expert enough to be sure. Emmett stood up and joined Rosalie who was still standing in front of me.

He gave me a soft hit in the shoulder and said, "I _better _see you later. We've got plenty more to talk about."

"I think I'll join the two of you," Esme said after a second of pondering, "I haven't hunted at night in quite some time." She then smiled brightly at me. "We'll be back soon."

And with one of Emmett's charmingly childlike grins, the three vampires were off into the woods in search of sustenance. I tried to imagine Rosalie, in all of her painful beauty, attacking an animal larger than herself. The animal, whatever it was to be, wouldn't stand a chance.

I sauntered over to the chair that Carlisle and Esme were once sitting in and I sunk into its cushions, pulling my knees into me and wrapping my arms around my shins.

Alice asked me something that took me off guard as she played with Jasper's blonde curls, "Adeline, what do you miss most about being human?"

_Natasha_, I thought almost before the whole sentence passed through Alice's lips. _I miss her so much._

"My family," I half-lied to her, hoping Edward wouldn't say anything. "I miss them ridiculously."

_But nowhere near as much as I miss Natasha. _

"Tell us about them," Jasper requested, toying with the loose fabric of Alice's dress.

The way they were touching each other, innocently but with so much love, pulled at my heart strings. I had that once.

Absentmindedly, I adhered to what Jasper asked of me, "My father, Sebastian, is a great man, a noble man, someone who has his morals in clear sight and never hesitates to follow them. My mother, Julia, loved me very much and never stopped showing it." I felt my throat constrict. When I was human, that was a sure sign that I was about to cry, but now… nothing ever came of it. I hadn't shed one tear since I woke up immortal. "My brother Conrad is… a total goof, but he has a big heart. He was always very protective of me."

Alice appeared somewhat confused, "How do you remember so much about them?"

"I had help."

I brought my hand to point to my duffle bag that was still across the room where I had left it. I focused on the object inside I wanted, and after just half a second, a large olive green photo album poked out through the fabric. It floated in a straight line toward Alice and she took it in her hands when it was just a foot in front of her.

Amazed by my power, she placed it on her lap and opened it up to the first page.

"Is this your family?" she asked, eyes set on the introductory picture.

"Yes, that's them."

Jasper looked down at it as well, and then laughed.

What he was laughing at was the greatest photograph I had of my mother, father, and brother, and also the funniest. It was from Halloween two years before I "died" and left them for good. My brother Conrad and my father were dressed as Jake and Elwood Blues. They had planned their outfits right down to the black plastic sunglasses and the names tattooed (written in ink from a ballpoint pen) on their knuckles. My mother had chosen to be the nun from the beginning of the movie. In the picture, which was taken in the candy aisle at a 7-11, my mom was swinging a yard stick at the two Blues brothers and they were making very dramatic faces. I had snapped the camera at the best possible moment.

"They look like such a fun group of people," Jasper said after having completed his examination of the photo.

Alice turned the page and the two looked at the new photo in front of them. I didn't have to see it to know which one it was. I had the whole album memorized in terms of order.

The second featured photograph was of just me and my brother. I was eighteen and he was twenty at the time it was captured. He and I were sitting on the curb at the side of some road in the middle of our neighborhood, smoking cigarettes. I felt kind of foolish letting my new friends see that picture of me because my hair was cut absurdly short and dyed neon pink and I had an obnoxious nose ring. Conrad, of course, looked as handsome as ever in his motorcycle jacket, white t-shirt, and dark-wash denim jeans. His nutmeg-colored hair was slicked back with the fervent aid of gel. He looked like a twenty-first century Kenickie. His arm hung loosely around my neck and we both scowled into the face of the camera, smoke drifting up toward the sky from our mouths.

"Your hair in this picture is the same color as my best dress!" Alice exclaimed giddily.

"That was an embarrassing phase," I said to her, "Conrad called me 'Bubblegum' for months."

Edward, who had walked over from the piano and stood behind the couch to lean over and see the pictures, snickered at my confession. "I think that shade suits you," he ragged.

"Thanks," I told him flatly.

Alice turned the page again and let out a soft 'aw' with not one hint of mockery in her tone. Jasper smiled warmly at the contents of the photograph, as did Edward. It was a picture of Conrad and me again, but in this one, we were at the beach and just a year younger. The sun had everything under its reign sparkling and shimmering like rare jewels. The sand was warm against our feet as we sank into it. And the breeze coming from the ocean brought delicious scents to our noses and fresh tastes to our tongues. Conrad was sitting on a lemon green lawn chair and I was standing at his side, bending over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. At the thought of it, I remembered the smacking sound my lips made against his skin and the way he swatted me away because the noise had hurt his ear. Just after the picture had been snapped, I poured a bucket of seawater on his head and he chased me down to the shore, tackling me into the wet sand. I remembered the way we laughed and laughed as we wrestled each other, behaving as if there was nothing wrong with the world, as if everything would be perfect forever.

Edward interrupted my nostalgia, "You and your brother were very close, weren't you?"

"We got along like French imported cigarettes and fine wine," I spoke, repeating something Conrad always used to say about the two of us. "He was my best friend."

"I'm so sorry," Jasper sympathized.

"Why?"

"You don't get to see him anymore."

"Yes, I do," I corrected, "I see him all the time."

"What?" Edward's voice bellowed slightly.

"He doesn't know it," I explained to Alice, Jasper, and Edward, "but I check up on him, and a few other people, pretty often. He's getting married in two months and I have every intention of crashing the reception."

Alice spoke as she flipped through the rest of the album's pages, eyes never tearing from the photos, "I think you'll be able to pull that off. You don't look anything like your human form."

"You don't plan to identify yourself, do you?" Edward interrogated.

I shook my head, "No. As far as my family is concerned, I'm dead."

"What else do you miss, Adeline?" Jasper pressed, and I could tell he was curious as to how much I could remember about my previous life.

Before I could answer, Edward rebuked his brother's demand, "You're going to make her upset."

Jasper looked at me tentatively but he seemed also somewhat impressed, "She's doing fine."

I didn't allow Edward to protect me again, as sweet of a gesture it was, "Sleep," I told them, "I miss the way my eyelids would get heavy at the end of the day. I miss the total satisfaction of curling up into a soft bed. I miss dreaming. And I miss waking up completely invigorated and ready for what was to come."

I tried to keep my memory of Natasha's face in the morning glow away, but I couldn't. There her face appeared, so clear in my mind as if she was right there in the room with me. The long chestnut wisps of her hair fell freely around her neck and shoulders. The fluidity of her teal-tinted eyes poured into me. Her delicate cheekbones and alabaster skin were emphasized in the milky sunlight. What I would have given to have one more day with her.

Alice and Jasper had finished skimming through the photo album, so they rested it on the sofa cushion beside them. Edward had regained his position on the piano bench, and he was staring at me wordlessly. I knew he had seen my recollection of Natasha and there was no doubt that he was going to ask me about it later.

To keep myself from thinking about the details, I listed all of my favorite movies in my head.

_Die Hard, Con Air, Amelie, Reservoir Dogs, Fight Club, The Transporter, Fatal Attraction, Uncle Buck, Caddyshack, The Manchurian Candidate, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Pulp Fiction…_

Edward's face contorted as he tried to understand why my thoughts took such a trivial turn.

"Alright," Jasper said as he stood from the couch, his hand in Alice's, "We're going hunting. Adeline, would you like to come with us?"

I kept my eyes on Edward, whose gaze never split from mine.

"No thanks, I think I'm just going to stay here and relax."

_The Fifth Element, The Man Who Knew To Little, Bachelor Party, Apocalypse Now, From Russia With Love, American Beauty, Hudson Hawk, The Hunt for Red October, The Graduate…_

"Okie doke," she sang, "see you later." She and Jasper then skipped through the front door.

Edward and I heard it shut and that was his cue to speak.

_The Birdcage, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Virgin Suicides, El Dorado, Rambo, Face/Off, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Edward Scissor-_

"What are you doing?" he asked me while vaguely playing with two keys at the end of the piano.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

_Into the Wild, Star Wars, Stranger Than Fiction, Cash Back, A Fish Called Wanda, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Alien, Erin Brockovich, Predator…_

"Can you please stop?" He pinched at his temples with his fingers.

_Fine_, I thought for him as I got up and headed for the couch. I took a place on the far right cushion and leaned over to pat the left one.

Granting me my request, he left his grand piano and sat down on the sofa, adjusting his body so he was facing me.

_You've obviously got a question for me, so go ahead and ask it already._

Edward hesitated for a minute, debating with himself.

I wanted to stop lying. I wanted to be entirely truthful with him, with him more than with any of the others. I don't know exactly why I felt that way. There was just something about Edward, something that radiated from his being. There was a much more prominent connection between us compared to what I had with the rest of his family, and I felt it swallow me whole as he maintained his concentrating eyes on mine. I was lost as to why I sensed this thick bond with him. Perhaps it was because he was the first vampire I had met. Perhaps it was because his concern for my comfort and welfare reminded me of Conrad. Perhaps it was because of something bigger, something deeper… perhaps it wasn't just a spontaneous crossing that brought us together. Perhaps the random incidence was just a masked form of fate.

"You feel it too," he spoke.

_Feel what?_

"The connection," he said, watching me with his amber eyes after having pulled the word from my very mind. "You feel this…" he moved his hand into my direction and then back into himself, "unseen rope fastening us together."

_You mean that I'm not crazy? You feel it too?_

"It's unlike anything I've ever come across," he acknowledged, "it's not like what I have with Bella or Renesmee or even with the others… it doesn't feel like romance or some kind of family tie. I don't know what it is." He chuckled throatily but it was still smooth and pleasing. "Maybe we've imprinted," he said, mostly to himself.

_What?_

In the short time we were in each other's company, I grew quite accustomed to not having to speak.

He shook his last statement away, "Nothing."

_I wish I could read _your _mind._

"It was just a passing thought," he explained, "nothing that you need to regard."

_I'll pry it out of you later._

"I'm sure you will." He snickered again, but then ceased, as if he had just remembered something, "Speaking of prying…"

_Go ahead. Ask your question. It's not like I can hide anything from you anyway. It's not like I even want to._

Edward dove right into it, "Who is Natasha?"

I propped my arm up on the back support of the sofa and rested the side of my head in my palm.

_Natasha was my girlfriend, my true love… my everything._

"Oh," is all he said.

_I've offended you, haven't I? You must be sickened by me. I knew it wasn't a good idea to tell you. I don't know why I even bothered. I should have just kept listing those fucking movies; it could have worked. It could have spared us this awkwardness. It could have spared you from being so appalled by me. If you want me to leave, I'll leave. _

I began to rise from my seat but his hand darted out and lightly grabbed my wrist. "No," he pleaded, "You don't have to go. Why would you ever think such a thing?"

I dropped back down into my seat. _Because what I just told you, Edward, is that I am a lesbian._

"So?"

_So? You aren't disgusted?_

"Heavens, no," he nearly yelled. "Why would you assume that I was?"

_It's not meant to be a reflection of what I think of you, Edward. It's just… I figured coming out to you would be the same as coming out to a human. And that's a fifty-fifty situation. A person can either react badly then push me away, or the person can accept it as well as accept me. _

"And you," he observed, "being the pessimist that you are, always expect the worst."

_Well… fuck yes. It's happened that way before. _

"That's a terrible shame," Edward said, "but you have nothing to worry about here. I don't look at you any differently, Adeline. My immense respect for you has not changed." He patted his hand on my wrist. "We're vampires," he reminded me, "we are the outcasts to the world. We are a minority of our own, don't you think it would be rather hypocritical of me to discard you just because you happen to be… gay?"

_If you're accepting me just to avoid being a _hypocrite_, we can stop this right here, right now. _

"That's not the reason, Adeline," he assured me; "I was only trying to prove a point."

_So you really have no problem with what I am?_

"Not in the least. You are who you are, and you are entitled to love whomever you love."

_Let's just hope the others share the same opinion._

"I highly doubt that they won't," Edward asserted, "They will view you the way they do now, each and every one of them. They will accept you and welcome you no matter what. You've nothing to be uneasy about, except…" his voiced trailed into silence, but then he broke into a miniature fit of laughter.

_Except what!? _

"Except Emmett," he forced out. His mirth finally reached its end, and then he spoke calmly again, "You may have some issues with Emmett when it comes to your sexuality."

_Why? _

"Emmett has been on this earth for a long time. He is wise and quite knowledgeable, but he is still very young in a lot of ways. And that's what we love about him, but that is also what might make things difficult for you." Edward tittered again, "He is going to tease you at every chance he gets. It will be all in good humor, I promise you, but he will be relentless in his games."

_I can handle that. _

"Then there isn't a problem after all. You worried for nothing."

_I wouldn't say that. There was still a good chance that you were going to reject me._

"But I didn't. And I don't think I ever will."

The affection of his statement hit me like a ten ton eighteen-wheeler at full speed, but the impact was absolutely glorious. The unbelievable coldness of my whole body had retreated and it was replaced with stunning warmth that enveloped every inch of me.

Edward continued, heating my consuming cloud even more, "There's something here, Adeline, and we've established that we both know it. We can't deny it from taking its course."

_I guess that means I'm staying in town._

"I hope it does."

_I need a cigarette._

After standing up from the couch and walking over to my duffle bag, I rifled through it and found my Parliaments and small book of matches. Without turning around to look back at Edward − who I knew was still on the sofa − I headed for the front door.

_Well, are you coming or not?_

Before I even completed the thought, Edward was standing at the entrance, holding the door open for me like the gentleman that he was. I gave him a wink as I stepped through the frame and into the night.

The outside light was on, so when he and I took adjacent seats at the top of the porch steps and beneath the weak spotlight, I saw that his skin feigned a similar yellow shine. I loved the way it looked against his gray t-shirt.

The stack of stairs to the front entrance of the Cullen household was narrow, so Edward and I were elbow-to-elbow and knee-to-knee.

"I just remembered that you never answered one of my questions out in the woods," he said, grinning at me with his perfectly asymmetrical smile.

Striking a match and lighting the cigarette that I had stuck between my lips, I thought, _Which was…?_

"Why do you smoke?

I watched as the gray streamers of smoke twirled in the wind-free air. _It's the only habit from my human life that actually stuck with me. I feel reluctant to let it go. Besides, it helps distract me from the bloodlust. _

"The taste doesn't bother you?"

_No. In fact, it tastes a lot better than it used to._

"Really?"

Turning to face Edward, I wondered, _Have you ever had a cigarette as a vampire before?_

"No."

_In a fucking century… you haven't smoked one?_

He laughed and repeated, "No."

_Well, I guess today is a day of firsts._

I stole one more puff and then exhaled, handing him the half-spent cigarette.

He took it between the long fingers on his right hand, and without a word of protest, he brought the filter up to his gentle mouth, and inhaled. There was something innate about the action. The cigarette seemed to fit impeccably against Edward's silhouette. The way the pale ribbons fluttered so eagerly from his lips and up toward the sky was very poetic, and his blasé manner as he puffed away at my cigarette added to his blatant handsomeness, if that was even possible.

He eyed the burning tip after his third intake and nonchalantly asked, "So you think I'm handsome, hmm?"

_That's going to get really annoying really fast, Edward._

"Sorry."

_How's the cigarette?_

He inhaled one more time, and as he handed me the dwindling remains, he released the poisonous cloud into the air between us while saying, "I don't hate it."

I then sucked on the filter and was able to somewhat taste the venom from Edward's lips that had coated onto it. It was sweet like the juice from a honeydew melon. I relished in the intimacy of that small element. Allowing the smoke to paint my insides black, I thought for him: _Natasha and I used to share cigarettes like you and I are doing now._

I handed it to him again and he took a long draw, layering his words in gray: "Tell me about her."

_No._

"Is it too private?"

_No. I'm just not going tell you anything until you reciprocate. This whole day has been about me, and frankly, I'm fed up with it. If you want to know more about my life, you have to let me know more about yours._

He chuckled then, crushing the tired cigarette against the cement at his feet, "What do you want to know?"

_Everything_, I told, _but let's start with, um… how you met Bella._

"That's a very long story," Edward said through a sigh.

_We're not exactly strapped for time, are we?_

"No, I suppose we aren't."

_Then what are you waiting for?_

Silently, he grabbed the pack of Parliaments and matchbook from my hands and then removed a sliver of white from the small cardboard box. He struck a tiny flame into the cave he formed with his palms, and I loved the sound it made as the flimsy stick of wood burned, echoing into the woods before us. He brought the cigarette to life and took one more second than necessary to fill his lungs with the dark fog.

"I think I've grown rather fond of these," he admitted, holding the cigarette out in front of his face.

_Don't change the subject._

"I wasn't trying to…" He paused for another drag and then began his tale. "Bella and I met close to six years ago… while she was human. I was enrolled in Forks High School, playing the part of the typical teenager for the sake of appearances, as the others were. Bella had just moved from Arizona and, without even knowing it at first, she overturned everything I came to know as my life.

"She had the most enticing scent I have ever encountered. It took all of my learned self-control to not snap her neck and devour every drop of perfectly-aged blood that pumped through her body. I wanted to kill her. I wanted to taste her. I wanted to make her be just another meal, but the best meal… the best taste… the best kill. Never have I been tempted so much to throw my beliefs or my way of life out the window. But I couldn't let myself. I couldn't give in to the monster within me. So I ran.

"But I kept coming back to Bella. I was so drawn to her, and not just because her scent appealed to me as strongly as it did. She was my little riddle, because even as a human, I couldn't hear her thoughts. It plagued me so. It tortured me. I couldn't figure out just why her mind was the only one off limits to my power. And in the process of trying to uncover that mystery, I became fixated. She was the only one I thought about… every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Isabella Swan turned to be my entire world.

"Eventually, we became… involved. With my help, she figured out what I was, and oddly enough, it didn't scare her away. She didn't care. She loved me, all of me. Our relationship grew to epic proportions. I had found my true love, Adeline, in the form I least expected… in the form of a human, in the form of my prey. And even though I was terrified of her getting hurt while mixing in with all of this, I was happy. I was undeniably and irrevocably happy. I was a lion who had fallen hopelessly in love with a lamb."

Edward finished the cigarette and flicked it into a wet patch of grass.

"We faced many obstacles, obstacles that I can't even begin to list to you, but in the end, which became our new beginning, our love prevailed. We married two and a half years ago, while she was still human. She got pregnant as a human and gave birth to Renesmee as a human. To keep Bella from dying, I turned her. I injected my venom into her heart and she transformed into a vampire. After what felt like an eternity, I was given everything that I had ever wanted and so much more: a wife that I love with every cell of my body and a wonderful daughter I treasure unconditionally. We have been unbelievably blissful ever since."

Before my mind could generate thoughts for Edward to interpret, I leaned forward and wrapped him in my arms. Adherently, he rested his forehead in the dip between my neck and my left shoulder. I cupped my palm around the back of his head and, using my voice for the first time in a very long time, I whispered into his ear, "I am so happy to have found you, Edward Cullen."

Holding him in my arms felt incredibly natural to me. It was as if my embrace had been sculpted especially for my new friend and its purpose was finally being fulfilled.

Edward entwined his fingers together behind my back and spoke, "So am I."

Without pulling away from him, I thought, _I can't imagine what it must have been like for you, going against your better judgment and your instincts so that you could be with the one you love. Was it unbearable to hold yourself back?_

"Painfully," he replied, "but I had to do it to ensure her safety. And, much to my surprise, I did."

I let go of him then, but maintained my hands on his shoulders: _I wish I was like you. I wish I was strong enough to at least try. I haven't even _seen _Natasha since I changed. _

We parted fully then and he leaned back against the porch railing while responding, "I thought you said that you check up on your loved ones regularly."

_I do. I visit my parents and my brother and my old co-workers… but not Natasha._

"Why?"

_I know that if I do see her, I won't be able to stop myself from crossing the line. I know that I'll pull her into my arms and explain everything to her. But that would be a very selfish thing to do. Considering her wellbeing and her comfortable perception of the world, Edward, I believe she's better off thinking that I'm dead. _

"You were wrong before, Adeline," he told me. "You're stronger than you think you are, and putting Natasha before yourself proves it."

_Thank you. _

He lit another cigarette and whistled as he exhaled. "Can you tell me about her now?"

_I suppose._

Noting how the smoke garlands sinuously danced into the air from the tip of Edward's cigarette, I began to recount the details of my past love…

8


End file.
